The Center, an afterschool program located at The Congregational Church of Needham, is now taking registrations from incoming sixth and seventh graders for the 2012-2013 school year. Registration materials are available at www.myyouthcenter.org.

The Center is a safe, fun place for sixth graders to develop independence, get homework done and have fun with friends.  Under the supervision of trained adults, The  Center is open for drop-in hours Monday through Friday, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on every school day presented on the Needham School District calendar. Additionally, The Center is open on early release days from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on delayed opening days from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. for “Breakfast Club.”

“I like coming to The Center because it’s fun, people are nice, I get homework help, and there’s lots of fun games and unlimited options on what to do,” says sixth grader and High Rock School student, Zara Sen.

The benefits of joining The Center program include:

• Flexible, drop-in hours. Youth may come to The Center during any open days and hours of the program once registered and issued a Membership Card. In addition, families need only pay for the days their youth attends ($30 a day or $250 for a 10-day pass).
• A quiet room for homework and reading with school supplies and books,
• A computer lab, with computers, printer, scanner, and other devices,
• A game room, with an air hockey table, ping pong table, foosball, piano, Wii sports, Rockband, and board games,
• A gathering space for sports, team building, group
  activities and planning community service such as raking leaves, picking up litter, or volunteering at local nursing homes,
• Outdoor space for sports including volleyball, basketball, bocce ball and croquet, and
• Healthy snacks!

The possibilities at The Center are endless; if youth want to make and edit videos, publish a magazine, create their own website, or make up a new sport, The Center can make it happen. Youth have the freedom to choose activities to participate in and voice their opinion about what The Center should offer. The Center is also nondenominational and nonreligious.

“My favorite thing about The Center is after walking here from High Rock after a long day of school, I get to play really cool rock songs [on Nintendo RockBand] and relax,” says sixth grader and High Rock School student, Anthony Cosentino.

The Center is located at The Congregational Church of Needham, 1154 Great Plain Ave, Needham, MA 02492. For more information, to register, or to schedule a private tour, email director@MyYouthCenter.org, visit www.myyouthcenter.org, or call the Director, Jamie Green, at 781-444-2510 ext 198. 

Watch the video about The Center made by some of the kids at The Center, at YouTube.