Chester Teen Center growing; donations sought to work on permanent space

 

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Since its inception last March, with a focus group of six students from Green Mountain Union High School, the Chester Teen Center program has grown to serve more than 50 local students in grades 6 and up and meeting in the community room of the Congregational Church at 469 Main St. in Chester for its twice-a-week activities.

And in September, Lauren Ingersoll,  director of the Black River Area Community Coalition, brought on board Andrew Moore as an assisting program supervisor and Creative Arts director for the Teen Center that BRACC created. Moore has a background in behavioral intervention and experience working with youth at the Chester-Andover Elementary School.

Ingersoll and Moore work as a team to cultivate a safe, inclusive environment where teens can connect with each other after school, have fun and be creative, develop leadership skills, feel independent, and have access to support and mentorship. In recent weeks, BRACC has seen an average attendance of 20 to 30 youth participants each day at the program.

Other highlights that have happened at the teen center over the last couple months include:

• Creating a website landing page and official registration process for participants
• Partnering with Okemo Valley TV on a student-led media project
• Securing an opportunity to expand building space for program activities
• Launching a student logo design contest
• Starting a fundraising campaign

BRACC is now preparing to move forward with a shovel-ready renovation project to expand its Teen Center program into a more permanent space. This building next to the church will allow BRACC to build more programming, serve the growing number of youth participants and offer more sustainable resources and Teen Center drop-in hours.

Donations go farther with 2-for-1 match

A community member has recently offered a matching challenge to help BRACC continue to raise funds for the Teen Center to reach its goal of $10,000 by this winter.

Every dollar raised between now and Jan. 1, 2025 will get a 2-times match, up to $1,000 per donation, so if you contribute $20, the Teen Center will receive $60.

Donations for the Teen Center project can be made online by clicking here or by check mailed to BRACC, 91 VT Rt. 11, Londonderry, VT 05148.

Thanks to many community members and businesses who have already contributed to fundraising efforts for this project, BRACC has raised more than $2,000 for the project in addition to having in-kind service donations committed from local contractors and volunteers. Funding and capacity for this project has seen support from several local businesses and organizations including:

• Springfield Rotary,
• 103 Auto Repair,
• Chester Snowmobile Club,
• Cenate & Sons,
• LaValley Building Supply,
• Bibens Ace Hardware,
• Bickford Painting,
• T&T Electric of Chester and
• Edgar May Health and  Recreation Center.

“Thanks to our community partnerships, the Teen Center that started as an idea just earlier this year has already grown into something real,” said Ingersoll.  BRACC also plans to hold an open house in the coming weeks for friends and partners of the Teen Center to celebrate the renovation project kick-off.

Registration for the Teen Center program is free and exclusive to youth in grades 6 through 12. Registered teens are invited to come by the space during regular drop-in hours from 3 to 5:30 p.m.  Wednesdays and Fridays.