BIG SPRING, TX — A teen and youth center will soon be built in Big Spring. According to YMCA CEO Dathan Jones, The Y in Big Spring has been working on this project for the last couple of years. It is currently 85 percent funded and construction is expected to begin this summer.
Jones told KBest News this will be something completely different than what’s available now for teens and youth. This facility will serve kids ages 12 through 18, and will include a recording studio, a movie area, and a multipurpose gym. The teen and youth center will be ran by teens in the community with a junior YMCA board that will be made up of 6 students from Big Spring, 6 students from Coahoma, and 6 students from Forsan.
For the teens, ran by the teens in our community. – Junior YMCA Board made up of 6 students from Coahoma, 6 students from Big Spring, and 6 students from Forsan.
“Having a board, and the youth of our community having a voice to it, gives it more power. We’ll have an executive director that will be overseeing it. So, there will be someone running that area but the people we hired to work in it will be teens and youth,” said Jones.
He went on to say that they are going to be very intentional about that because they are trying to create a cycle of positive change instead of a negative one.
Jones went on to say that teens will be hired to work at the facility, but it will be overseen by an adult who will be the Executive Director. A security team will also be present and no bags will be allowed in the facility.
The teen and youth center is made possible by large financial contributions from the Dora Roberts Rehabilitation Center and the Marie Hall Foundation. Other organizations that donated to the project are the Rotary Clubs of Big Spring, the Big Spring Area Community Foundation, and the City of Big Spring who leased the 60 feet of land needed. The builder for the project is Bulldog Construction.
Anyone wanting to donate to the teen and youth facility can make the donations to the YMCA located at 801 Owens St. in Big Spring. For more information, contact Dathan Jones at 432-254-9949.
(Photo: YMCA)
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