Youth Center offers place to do homework, enjoy entertainment

By Deanna Beattie
Norwich Guidon Staff Writer

Kids in small towns often complain of boredom, that they are overlooked and that there is nothing for them to do. If kids in Northfield are saying this, they haven't looked very hard for entertainment.

In Northfield there is a youth center for young adults ages 11-18, which promotes a healthy lifestyle and gives kids a safe place to be themselves, said the director of the youth center.

Cassidy Renfrew became the Director of the Northfield Youth Center three months ago, shortly after she graduated from Woodbury College with a degree in prevention and community development.

The youth center is a non-profit organization funded entirely by grants and donations. Renfrew said they are always looking for volunteers.

"I really welcome anybody to come down and check out the facility and do some volunteering," Renfrew said.

Not many Norwich students have volunteered at the youth center, but Nicole DiDomenico, Director of Volunteer Programs at Norwich, hopes to send more students there next semester.

"There are students who have expressed interest, and as of next semester we will start going on a more regular basis," DiDomenico said.

DiDomenico said that the youth center is important because it gives kids a greater sense of community and keeps them out of trouble.

"It provides them a safe place where they can be themselves and hang out, and the parents can be assured that they are going to be safe," DiDomenico said.

Teri Dodge, a student at Palmer College of Chiropractic from Northfield, Vt., used to visit the center as a youth and served as the first kid on the board of directors."It allowed your voices to be heard, and for youth to be considered a respected community member, not just a child needing direction," Dodge said.

Dodge said she gained a lot of self-worth and responsibility spending time at the youth center.

Youths visiting the center can do homework, watch movies, eat, play pool and socialize; all for free.

Every Friday and Saturday night the youth center is open until 10pm. A dinner is prepared those two nights through the Kid's Café.

The center has a full kitchen and dining room, called the Kid's Café, where the kids cook food. The youth receive food for the Kid's Café when they work at a local food bank.

The youth center is taken care of by the kids, who cook, clean and even write grants.

Recently, the kids at the youth center wrote a grant for Youth Against Big Tobacco Companies and received $5,000.

"My role here is not to do everything for them," Renfrew said. "I'm here to guide them."

"I think they enjoy having adults around as long as they are not telling them what to do. It's just being there with them," Renfrew said.

Dodge worked closely with adults at the center and said, "The youth-adult partnership allowed the youth to take responsibility for their direction in life with the encouragement from the adults."