From left, Tyler Regele, Calvin Grow and Hiro Mertes shoot pool Friday afternoon at the Teen Center. Photo by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com
Kelsey Flesher, 15, with the mural she painted in the Teen Center. Photo by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com
Jelena Wakefield, 16, with the mural she painted in the Teen Center. Photo by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com
By KIRSTEN LASKEY
Los Alamos Daily Post
kirsten@ladailypost.com
Asking young people why they decided to try out the Teen Center and what brings them back will generate an avalanche of answers. One person will offer their favorite activity, and another will pipe up to share their best experience and soon furniture is being shuffled to show a mural that a student painted, and a gaggle of teens are enthusiastically spilling the beans about what makes this young-adult-centric place run so well.
The Teen Center has come a long way since it first opened on the lower level of Trinity on the Hill Episcopal Church more than 10 years ago. It now has a whole dedicated building at 475 20th St. Walking in Friday afternoon, a young man wearing a virtual reality helmet, air punched invisible foes while a group of friends played pool and a young woman perfected a piece of pottery.
That seems to be the beauty of the Teen Center, the kids run the show.
As Assistant Director Misty Suazo pointed out, programming is determined by a teen council that meets once a month. Ideas are tossed out and the council votes on which to choose and they run with the plan.
Director Eli Argo said it is a little like “throwing spaghetti at a wall and seeing what sticks.” Sometimes it yields great success like the ongoing tea parties that feature an ever-changing theme. Other times an activity like jewelry making starts with a bang but the appeal fades.
Anything is game: laser tag, spa days, gaming tournaments. Kids gleefully remember doing lock-ins where the rule is to stay awake all night or the time the staff helped them play a practical joke on their parents in honor of April Fools Day.
Argo noted the Teen Center is a free service; and it is open to anyone who just graduated eighth grade all the way up to recent high school graduates.
He estimates that there are about 600 members, but the number fluctuates.
“It’s a nice resource for them to have,” he said.
During its tenure, Argo said he is proud that the Teen Center was able to continue to serve teens during COVID even though it wasn’t in person and is proud of the support that the Teen Center and the YMCA has given towards programming for middle school teens. He added he is proud to offer a space for teens that is outside of school and home.
“It’s a nice place for them to be just kids,” Argo said.
The reasons why teens come to the Teen Center are wide-ranging.
Kelsey Flesher, 15, said she is home-schooled, and her parents travel a lot, so the Teen Center was a chance for her to meet people her own age.
“I really like coming here,” Flesher said.
Jelena Wakefield, 16, said her sister, Aspen, encouraged her to go to the center.
She added she is glad she took her older sister’s advice.
“It’s just really great and a fun place to hang out,” Wakefield said.
She listed off a few of her favorite activities: cooking classes, birthday parties and field trips to the Albuquerque zoo and the bowling alley in Pojoaque.
Katie Peterson, 19, is a youth mobilizer at the Teen Center. She explained Youth Mobilizers help organize events. Peterson added she enjoys working with the center’s staff.
“I’ve become connected with the staff,” she said. “They’re super easy to talk to.”
Other teens said they enjoyed simpler aspects of the center; Alexander Toshirō Logan West, 14, said he enjoys “the sense of peace within the space” and having conversations with others.
Owen Burkin, 16, said he was just looking for something to do after school.
If any young people are enticed to find out more, they can visit https://laymca.org/los-alamos-teen-center for information and the registration form.
Teen Center Lead Floor Staff Kai Pocaterra, left, chats with Julian Ortiz, 14, Friday afternoon at the Teen Center. photo by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com
Teen Center Floor Staff Sabric Hankins, left, creating pottery with Willow Golden, 16, Friday afternoon. Photo by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com
Alexander Toshirō Logan West, 14, enjoys a Friday afternoon at the Teen Center. Photo by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com
Owen Burkin, 16, gives the Teen Center a thumbs up. Photo by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com
Aspen Wakefield, 18, stands beside her mural, which is a work in progress, at the Teen Center. Photo by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com