Let the games begin
An estimated 3,000 students live within a 10- to 15-block radius of a new youth center in the Spokane Valley. Jason Kiesel, a youth pastor, uses that number when describing The Outlet Youth Center, newly opened at 11410 E. Sprague Ave. from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays for those in grades six-12.
Kiesel, with New Life Assembly of God, and several church volunteers have worked a year and a half refurbishing the space near Bowdish Road behind Halpin’s. The group is hoping the center will provide a safe and free place for youth to play video games, enjoy air hockey and foosball, do homework or receive tutoring after school.
“This is the most densely populated area of the Spokane Valley,” said Kiesel. “It’s also one of the poorest areas of the Spokane Valley.”
“To start with, mainly we’re offering a safe place to come after school to play games. Tutoring will soon be available by appointment at no cost. We’re especially trying to help those who have parents working.”
The center is within walking distance of several residences and apartment complexes surrounding Sprague, Pines and Bowdish. It will be geared toward students from North Pines, Bowdish and Horizon middle schools, plus the two Central Valley high schools.
The 5,500-square-foot former gym is also used by the church for other functions, including youth group meetings Wednesdays and Sundays. Today it houses a cafe with vending machines, seating and a snack bar. The cafe walls are decorated with shiny, corrugated steel halfway up and painted a dark blue above.
Off of the cafe, a large open area has a stage, a big projection-screen TV, tables for homework, and games such as air hockey, as well as Gamecube and PS2 stations – all with E-rated choices. A quiet study area is planned for upstairs.
Volunteers are still doing some finishing work around the center.
“It’s a beautiful facility because it can be used for so many things,” said Karen Siegfried, a retired Valley resident volunteering at the youth center. “The most important thing is we’re here to support the kids in a safe environment.”
At least three trained adult volunteers, female and male, will be available to help at the center. The volunteers also will monitor safety, check bags and ensure that house rules are followed, such as no swearing or weapons, Kiesel said.
The church and weekly parishioners’ contributions pay the center’s bills. Much of the remodeling cost, estimated between $30,000 and $35,000, was defrayed by businesses offering supplies at or near cost and through volunteer labor, Kiesel said. The owner of Halpin’s also offered the group “a drastically reduced lease rate” for up to six years in exchange for the remodel, he added.
“We want to be here long-term.”
When asked about Ringo’s Casino across the parking lot from the center, Kiesel said the nearby business has caused no problems, and is good about monitoring the serving of alcohol.
“We’ve been in here a year and a half and there’s never been any incident or problem,” Kiesel said.
“Kids are walking by Ringo’s everyday anyway. I’d rather they have a safe haven here to come to. This is the community we live in. You can’t shelter our students.”
Kiesel added that volunteers want to start off simply while remaining open to the needs of parents, kids and the community.
Parent notification and communication will be priorities. Any student who walks through the doors will be asked to sign in and out, and with the first visit, provide information about how to contact parents. Kiesel plans to call on a weekly basis after new youth come in to notify a parent and make sure the visits are approved.
In fact, the youth center volunteers will encourage parent-child interactions with movie or game nights, field trips or watching football games, according to Kiesel. Other ideas may include professional sessions on anger management or drug- and alcohol-abuse prevention for both parents and kids.
“We’d love to create opportunities for parents to be here with their kids, maybe a movie night. As it progresses, we want to offer a number of resources to our community and to partner with parents.
“We want to serve the community. A year from now what we offer may be different.”
Again looking at numbers, Kiesel refers to the average 50 percent of marriages that end in divorce. Supporting young people as they deal with life issues is a goal for Kiesel and others at the center.
“The average 10- to 12-year-old doesn’t have the emotional tools available to them to deal with any of this. We want to try to equip both the parents and kids together.
“One of the ideas I’ve had is once we have a group of students that we’d take five or six of them and form a community service group. We’d ask them, who do you know that one day we can help do some lawn work or a car repair?
“I want to help students, but I want to teach them how to help others and become community leaders. That kid sitting at the video game might be the next mayor.”
For more information, parents and kids can come into the center or contact Kiesel at 263-7300.