Amped Youth
Amped Youth is our teen program. For the 2009-2010 school year, Amped is held Monday nights, 6-7:30pm at 6515 Bridge Avenue. We serve a full meal, play sports and games, and speak about relevant issues such as personal responsibility, making good choices, and the possibility of making positive changes in ones life.
Our dedicated staff spents the evening not only feeding students, but building mentoring relationships. These relationships continue into the summer and take various forms ranging from formal tutoring to more casual friendships.
Kids reported that the Amped staff cares deeply about them. Through contacts made at Amped we have been able to address mental health issues, family food and clothing shortages, and other communal issues.
Amped served the short-term purposes of feeding hungry children a nutritious meal and helping with homework. However, Amped’s staff harbors much longer-term goals for each of the kids who attend. For each child and teen they have certain hopes based on unique challenges. And each interaction is geared towards a larger goal.
The Amped staff may take the program very seriously; it did not stop Monday nights from being filled with music, food, and levity. Staff and attendees have become an open group of friends that is welcoming to join and a joy to be a part of.