Boys & Girls Club Opens County’s First Standalone Teen Center

OXNARD, Calif. - July 10, 2013 - PRLog -- Oxnard, Calif.—The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme launched its first-ever standalone Teen Center at the Club’s Harriet H. Samuelsson Branch in Oxnard with a grand opening on June 27 – and announced its partnership with Vista Real, a local public charter school for students seeking an independent study high school diploma program.

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.

THE CLUB Teen Center will also be home to Vista Real, which will occupy one of its rooms, to provide students a unique opportunity to further their education while engaging in a wide variety of positive activities at the Club.

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.

Vista Real provides a free, personalized learning program to help students earn their high school diploma. With one-on-one teacher mentoring and free tutoring, Vista Real’s independent study program has helped thousands of students reach their credit recovery goals. With year-round enrollment, flexible scheduling, and locations throughout Ventura County, Vista Real provides all of these services at no cost. For more information about Vista Real, please visit www.vrchs.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.