COMMUNITY
Alexandra Gagnon Teen Center
at the YMCA of Martha's Vineyard
By Kara Goldfarb
Just do the math, says Tony Lombardi, Director of Teen Programs at the YMCA and longtime MVHS special education teacher. When 30 to 50 youngsters show up each night for the Alexandra Gagnon Teen Center’s diverse weekend activities, in five years the effort adds up to many thousands of teens making positive choices.
The programming runs the gamut from talent nights to karaoke and movies. Although the nights are fun and recreational in nature, digital literacy workshops and the use of audio/visual equipment in the new Comcast sponsored Studio 57 recording lab give teens real world employment skills too. Concerts and support groups such as Ala-teen are also available.
The teen center is housed in a two-floor wing off the main YMCA building after relocating from the previous temporary location at Cottager’s Corner in Oak Bluffs. The teen center was created and named in honor of Alex Gagnon, a young woman described by family and friends as fearless, passionate, and athletic, who died at age 23 in 1998 while battling substance abuse. A foundation, created to honor and memorialize Ms. Gagnon has provided much of the funding for the teen center. The Alexandra Gagnon foundation is actively seeking donations to support the teen center building and programming. The mission is in part to encourage young people to learn about teamwork, meet and overcome challenges, and become responsible citizens. “But the center is also about having fun and being safe, the kids know that violence and bullying aren’t tolerated, that this is a safe space,” says Tony. “We have a great staff who come from unique and important positions in the community and the teens are from diverse groups. But we can all coexist here.”
To learn more about the YMCA of Martha’s Vineyard go to www.ymcamv.org
The programming runs the gamut from talent nights to karaoke and movies. Although the nights are fun and recreational in nature, digital literacy workshops and the use of audio/visual equipment in the new Comcast sponsored Studio 57 recording lab give teens real world employment skills too. Concerts and support groups such as Ala-teen are also available.
The teen center is housed in a two-floor wing off the main YMCA building after relocating from the previous temporary location at Cottager’s Corner in Oak Bluffs. The teen center was created and named in honor of Alex Gagnon, a young woman described by family and friends as fearless, passionate, and athletic, who died at age 23 in 1998 while battling substance abuse. A foundation, created to honor and memorialize Ms. Gagnon has provided much of the funding for the teen center. The Alexandra Gagnon foundation is actively seeking donations to support the teen center building and programming. The mission is in part to encourage young people to learn about teamwork, meet and overcome challenges, and become responsible citizens. “But the center is also about having fun and being safe, the kids know that violence and bullying aren’t tolerated, that this is a safe space,” says Tony. “We have a great staff who come from unique and important positions in the community and the teens are from diverse groups. But we can all coexist here.”
To learn more about the YMCA of Martha’s Vineyard go to www.ymcamv.org