Founded as an extension of our Weed and Seed Out-of-School-Time Program, the Teen Connection Program offers FREE afterschool and summer programming for middle school and high school-aged youth grades 6-12.
Our educational and recreational programming is centered around five program areas:
- Fitness and Outdoor Fun—Providing opportunities to move and exercise through team sports, cooperative games, and outdoor adventure activities.
- Education and Technology—Supporting students in their educational goals through homework support, nutrition education, and introduction to computers, gaming, and technology.
- Service and Civic Engagement—Involving teens in service opportunities that benefit their community; helping youth to find and use their voice through community involvement and fostering leadership.
- Prevention and Life Skills—Facilitating teen discussions and educational presentations with guest speakers to promote prevention, teach life skills, and develop communication skills and healthy social behaviors.
- Arts & Culture—Incorporating arts, music, and cultural programming to encourage new experiences through multiple media forms and understanding through exposure to different cultural perspectives.
Registration
The City of Las Cruces Parks & Recreation Department Teen Connection program will begin its After School registration on Monday, July 11th. The program is free, and limited spaces are available and will be filled on a first-come, first serve basis. The program’s start date is Wednesday, July 20, 2022. The program is located at the Frank O’Brien Papen Community Center, 304 W. Bell Ave. Register online at https://www.las-cruces.org/31/Play (click on the online registration link), or visit the following locations during regular business hours:
· Parks and Recreation Administration Office, 1501 E. Hadley Ave., Monday – Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
· Frank O’Brien Papen Community Center, 304 W. Bell Ave., Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
· A. Fielder Memorial Safe Haven, 906 N. Tornillo St., Monday – Friday, 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Program hours of operation will be Monday – Friday, 3:30 – 7:30 p.m., and will follow the LCPS calendar, with some special events for teens happening, and a notice will be given so participants can be prepared ahead of time. Programming will consist of homework assistance, mealtime provided in partnership with FYI, recreation, art activities, guest speakers, and age-appropriate enrichment opportunities in a safe & constructive environment.
Transportation to the Teen Connection program will be provided from the following locations:
· Middle Schools: Sierra, Zia, Picacho, and Vista
· High Schools: Las Cruces, Centennial Mayfield, Arrowhead
The Teen Connection offers multiple opportunities for teens to participate in various community service projects throughout the year. Volunteering for these projects helps teens gain new skills necessary for the job market, such as leadership, communication skills, dependability, time management, and decision making. Teens who volunteer perform better at school and build stronger resumes for college and scholarship applications. These benefits correspond directly to the Success Partnership’s Newly launched Kinder-Career Coalition, which aims to lift and support the work this community is already doing to improve outcomes in education and identify areas of overlap and opportunity for collaboration.
For additional information, call the Parks & Recreation Department at 575/541-2550 or Teen Connection at 575/528-4235 or visit us online at
Michael Cichuniec
Recreation Services Supervisor/Parks & Recreation Department