Youth center in new home

Spirit Lake’s Youth Equipped for Success has a new home thanks to the generous support of the community. The group recently opened a youth center on Maine Street, next door to the video and ice cream store, at 6285 W. Maine.

A positive response was immediate. “Relocating downtown has already increased our visibility,” said program coordinator Taryn Hecker. “Several kids have dropped in to see what’s up and a few area residents have stopped to ask what’s going on,” she said. “It’s really cool to see the community taking an interest and stepping up to support our youth. A couple of them have even become volunteers.”

With triple the size of its former space, YES hopes to expand its after-school programs. “We are excited for the opportunities this new building will provide,” Hecker said. “With additional volunteers and support from the community, we plan to expand our after-school tutoring and mentoring programs and maybe add more indoor activities.”

Executive director Shelley Tschida, has long envisioned the center as a place where kids in Spirit Lake can get help with homework, find a mentor when they need one, or just have fun.

Although the dream also includes a building of their own, outdoor space and a gymnasium, Tschida and other staff are thrilled to have taken this step toward growth.

Current offerings include a life skills program that provides the opportunity for YES members to learn valuable skills in making healthy choices. Members are also treated to outings each month – that’s where some of the fun comes in – and are given the opportunity to learn about other cultures and gain an appreciation for diversity through a monthly cultural exchange program.

YES is thankful for the support the community has shown them through the years, sharing news that its September fundraiser was their biggest ever, raising more than $7,000.

But with the additional financial burden of the lease and utilities of the new building, they expressed hope the community will continue to support their work and the youth of Spirit Lake.

According to Hecker, there are more opportunities than ever to help through donation, volunteering, helping furnish their enlarged office and activity space, or joining their new ADOPT-A-MONTH program in which local businesses, civic groups, churches, or individuals donate $400, sponsoring the program for one month. That $400 would cover the center’s lease, utilities, and cost of weekly dinners and supplies for an entire month.

Donations of furnishings are also needed to help create the new youth center. New or good condition folding tables and chairs, shelving and cabinets are all items listed on the group’s wish list.

Additional volunteers are also on that list. The group is seeking volunteers to help with tutoring and mentoring programs, hoping to find enough to lower the mentor-to-student ratio and allow struggling students more individual attention. Additional volunteers would also allow expansion of their tutoring program beyond two afternoons each week.

YES is a nonprofit agency, and a member of United Way. With a focus on helping youths ages 12 through 18, the multiservice organization helps local young people and their families identify their potential and overcome roadblocks.

It allows them the opportunity to experience personal success through mentoring, tutoring, social integration and job skills development.