NEW OLIVET TEEN CENTER A PLACE FOR LEARNING AND GROWING

Chapter on Clinton Street serves about 125 who attend daily activities

By Darrin Youker
Reading Eagle

9/13/2009

- For Luis Cedeno, the Olivet Boys and Girls Club chapter on Clinton Street is a second home.

Cedeno, a 15-year-old freshman at Reading High School, has been coming to the club in northwest Reading for several years.

On Saturday Cedeno discovered yet another reason to keep coming, as the club unveiled a new teen center featuring computers, game systems and television sets.

The center was funded with a $15,000 grant from the clothing chain Villa.

The center will serve as a hangout, but also as a place where kids can do their homework and take advantage of software to help them study for their SATs.

“It is like a home away from home,” Cedeno said. “I can come here and just chill.”

Jason Lutz, chief executive officer of Villa, and leaders of the Olivet Boys and Girls Club came to the chapter Saturday to officially open the center.

The center will go a long way toward helping the club achieve its goal of having every member graduate from high school, said Jeffrey M. Palmer, club president.

“We hope this will keep our kids here and off the streets,” Palmer said. “Kids will stay where there is a safe, caring, place.”

Deloris Reviere, unit director of the Clinton Street chapter, said the boys and girls clubs had competed against other organizations for the grant. Clinton Street was chosen because of the number of teens who actively participate in events, she said.

“This center has a lot of heart and soul,” said Andrew Lutz, who manages the Villa store in Reading.

The club has more than 1,200 members, with about 125 who come to daily activities, Reviere said. Many of those students participate in the Keystone Club, which promotes community service, she said.

“Our focus is on education and increasing the number of children who graduate,” Reviere said.

Cedeno, who is a member of the Keystone Club, said it has been raising money for Opportunity House and for malaria research.

Joshua Ramos, 16, a member at the Olivet club, predicted the teen center will be popular.

“You make good friends here,” he said.