Boys & Girls Club Invites Community to Teen Center Grand Opening

OXNARD, CA, June 13, 2013 (Press-News.org) The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme launches its first-ever standalone Teen Center at the Club's Harriet H. Samuelson Branch, 126 E. 7th St., in Oxnard. Local community and teens are invited to the Grand Opening from 4- 5 p.m., June 27. There will be a ribbon cutting, local dignitaries, live music, and tours of the facility. From 5-10 p.m., teens are invited to socialize, play games, enter contests, win prizes, create crafts participate in tournaments, and visit with KCAQ 104.7 DJs.

THE CLUB Teen Center provides teens with engaging, enriching activities during the evening hours, which is statistically when juvenile crime is highest. The center will stay open late to provide productive activities and programs targeted specifically to youths 13-18 years old. "The Club is really about teens voicing their perspective, interests and connecting face-to-face with each other in a safe, substance-free and pressure-free environment," explained Tim Blaylock, chief professional officer of BGCOP. "At the center, the teens have an active role in deciding the activities, so they have a high degree of autonomy and creative options for exploring areas of interest to them."

Youths can sign up for tutoring, and programs that teach money management, art, fitness and job readiness. They can also participate in the College Bound Program and work out in the facility's boxing gym. Teens can also sign up for special weekend events, such as fieldtrips to sporting events, onsite parties and service learning outings.

Teens can register to join the center for $20 a year, which provides unlimited access to programs and activities. The center is open 1-8 p.m. during the summer, and teens are provided lunch and dinner. During the school year, it will be open 3 - 8 p.m., with dinner provided. For more information or to register, contact Erin Antrim at 483-1118 x305 or eamtrim@bgcop.org.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme exists to inspire and enable all young people to realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens. With three full-service clubs, 13 school program sites and one housing site, the organization is one of the largest of its kind in California, serving 9,000 members annually. The group is also the first Boys & Girls Club of its kind to open a site inside a Juvenile Justice Center in the state of California. Program areas offered to youth include character and leadership development, education and career development, health and life skills, the arts, technology and sports, fitness and recreation.