BROOKLINE TEEN CENTER

IN FY25, THE BROOKLINE TEEN CENTER CONTINUED TO SERVE STUDENTS IN GRADES 6 -12 FIVE DAYS PER WEEK, PROVIDING CONSISTENT AFTER-SCHOOL ENRICHMENT AND A SAFE, STRUCTURED SPACE FOR TEENS WHO LIVE IN BROOKLINE OR ATTEND BROOKLINE SCHOOLS. OUR MISSION REMAINS CLEAR: TO FILL CRITICAL GAPS IN OUR COMMUNITY BY OFFERING MEANINGFUL PROGRAMMING AND SUPERVISION OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL HOURS WHEN TEENS NEED IT MOST. BTC OFFERED A DYNAMIC ARRAY OF PROGRAMS INCLUDING TUTORING, MENTORING, COOKING CLUB, ROBOTICS, BOWLING, BASKETBALL, BASEBALL, VOLLEYBALL, CROCHET, FIELD TRIPS (BOTH LOCAL AND BEYOND MASSACHUSETTS) AND DAILY ACCESS TO OUR STATE-OF-THE-ART MUSIC STUDIO WHERE TEENS EXPLORE EVERYTHING FROM BEGINNER INSTRUMENT LESSONS TO MUSIC ENGINEERING AND PRODUCING ORIGINAL SONGS. IN 2025, WE EXPANDED HANDS-ON STEM LEARNING THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH BOSTON UNIVERSITY'S ANATOMY ACADEMY, BRINGING MEDICAL AND PRE-HEALTH STUDENTS INTO THE CENTER TO LEAD INTERACTIVE SCIENCE SESSIONS, INCLUDING DISSECTIONS AND EXPERIENTIAL ANATOMY PROGRAMMING. THIS INITIATIVE MADE SCIENCE ENGAGING, ACCESSIBLE, AND EXCITING FOR OUR TEENS WHILE STRENGTHENING OUR ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT OFFERINGS. WE ALSO BROADENED OUR CULTURAL AND EDUCATIONAL FIELD TRIP PROGRAMMING. HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN VISITS TO HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES (HBCUS), PROVIDING EXPOSURE TO INSTITUTIONS WHERE MANY OF OUR TEENS SEE THEIR IDENTITIES, VALUES, AND CULTURES MEANINGFULLY REFLECTED. ADDITIONAL TRIPS INCLUDED TOURS OF COLLEGES IN WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS AND NEW ENGLAND AND NEW YORK, VISITS TO CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS SUCH AS THE INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART (ICA), AND EXPLORATIONS OF HISTORICAL LANDMARKS THROUGHOUT GREATER BOSTON, THE LOCAL ISLANDS WHILE ALSO DEEPENING CIVIC, CULTURAL AND GLOBAL AWARENESS, FOR EXAMPLE BLENDING VOLUNTEER WORK WHILE HOSTING A KOREAN SCHOOL GROUP AT THE BTC LAST SUMMER. OUR COMMITMENT TO TEEN EMPLOYMENT AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT CONTINUED THROUGH INTERNSHIPS, YOUTHSCAPERS SERVICES, AND LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES. WE ALSO STRENGTHENED PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL SPORTS TEAMS, OFFERING SPACE, PARTICULARLY DURING THE WINTER MONTHS, FOR PRACTICES SUCH AS INDOOR BASEBALL TRAINING. THESE PARTNERSHIPS NOT ONLY SUPPORT LOCAL YOUTH ATHLETICS BUT ALSO INTRODUCE NEW TEENS TO THE CENTER AND ITS RESOURCES. IN 2025, BTC HOSTED THE FIRST-EVER TASTE OF BROOKLINE EVENT, BRINGING TOGETHER 15 LOCAL RESTAURANTS TO PROVIDE COMPLIMENTARY TASTINGS WHILE RAISING FUNDS IN SUPPORT OF OUR PROGRAMS. WE CONTINUE TO PARTNER WITH LOCAL BUSINESSES AND RESTAURANTS TO BUILD STRONG COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS AND SHARED INVESTMENT IN OUR YOUTH. WE ALSO HOSTED CASINO NIGHT, AN ANNUAL EVENT THAT RAISES FUNDS AND AWARENESS FOR BTC. OUR COMMUNITY HAS GROWN TO INCLUDE MORE THAN 500 REGISTERED TEEN MEMBERS. EACH WEEKDAY, BTC OPENS IMMEDIATELY AFTER SCHOOL, PROVIDING A WARM MEAL UPON ARRIVAL AND SNACKS THROUGHOUT THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. AFTER A BRIEF HOMEWORK BLOCK, TEENS HAVE AUTONOMY OVER THEIR TIME, WITH ACCESS TO AN ARRAY OF CLUBS, ACADEMIC SUPPORT, MENTORSHIP, AND WELCOMING SPACES TO CONNECT AND RECHARGE. BTC PLAYS A VITAL ROLE IN FILLING GAPS ACROSS BROOKLINE. WE PROVIDE INDEPENDENT PROGRAMMING ON EARLY RELEASE DAYS, SNOW DAYS, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAYS, WINTER AND SPRING BREAKS, AND THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER, ENSURING TEENS HAVE SAFE, SUPERVISED, AND ENRICHING OPTIONS WHEN FAMILIES NEED THEM MOST. WE ARE NOT AN EXTENSION OF THE SCHOOL DAY; WE ARE A COMMUNITY-BASED SOLUTION TO UNMET NEEDS. TOWARD THE END OF FY25, BTC LAUNCHED A PILOT AFTER-SCHOOL CARE PROGRAM FOR 4TH AND 5TH GRADERS, OPERATING TWO DAYS PER WEEK TO SUPPORT FAMILIES SEEKING STRUCTURED, AGE-APPROPRIATE SUPERVISED CARE. IN ADDITION, WE BEGAN HOSTING FRIDAY NIGHT EVENTS FOR OLDER TEENS AND THEIR FRIENDS FROM BROOKLINE AND NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES CREATING A SAFE AND WELCOMING PLACE TO SPEND FRIDAY EVENINGS WITH TRUSTED BTC STAFF. BTC PROUDLY ENGAGES YOUNG PEOPLE FROM ALL BACKGROUNDS AND REFLECTS THE DIVERSITY OF BROOKLINE. ON AVERAGE, 75% OF TEENS ATTENDING DAILY IDENTIFY AS TEENS OF COLOR, INCLUDING AFRICAN AMERICAN, LATINX, ASIAN, AND MULTIRACIAL YOUTH. BTC IS A SAFE AND AFFIRMING SPACE FOR TEENS WHO IDENTIFY AS LGBTQIA+ AND THOSE WHO IDENTIFY BEYOND THE GENDER BINARY. APPROXIMATELY HALF OF BTC YOUTH ARE METCO STUDENTS OR RESIDE WITHIN BROOKLINE HOUSING AUTHORITY PROPERTIES, INDICATING THAT MANY OF THE TEENS WE SERVE ARE GROWING UP IN LOWER-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS. BTC REMAINS COMMITTED TO ENSURING FINANCIAL ACCESSIBILITY FOR ALL FAMILIES. IN FY25, THE TEEN CENTER AWARDED 95 FULL SCHOLARSHIPS, AMOUNTING TO 7,325 IN MEMBERSHIP SCHOLARSHIPS, REINFORCING OUR BELIEF THAT COST SHOULD NEVER BE A BARRIER TO PARTICIPATION. OUR FREE SHUTTLE SERVICE CONTINUES TO EXPAND ACCESS BY TRANSPORTING STUDENTS FROM SCHOOLS OUTSIDE WALKING DISTANCE, ENSURING EQUITABLE PARTICIPATION ACROSS BROOKLINE NEIGHBORHOODS. IN ADDITION, LATE 2025 WE ADDED A SHUTTLE SERVICE BACK TO FARTHER REWATCHING BROOKLINE NEIGHBORHOODS SO YOUNG PEOPLE CAN ARRIVE HOME SAFELY AT DARK. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SENIOR CENTER, WE ARE ABLE TO RUN THIS SERVICE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE FOR AT LEAST THE NEXT YEAR. GRANTS RECEIVED & SUSTAINABILITY: IN 2025, WE WERE FUNDED BY BROOKLINE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION, CUMMINGS FOUNDATION, SAINT PAUL'S CHURCH, DAYMARC FOUNDATION, US CHARITABLE GIFT FUND, FOUNDATION TO BE NAMED LATER AS WELL AS GENEROUS COMMUNITY SUPPORTERS AND LOCAL BUSINESSES. WE WORKED TO ADD SMALLER EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND CREATE A MAJOR GIFTS STRATEGY THAT WOULD ENGAGE FOUNDING DONORS AND NEW FRIENDS TO BTC (VIA HOUSE PARTIES) TO FOCUS ON STEWARDSHIP AND MOVES MANAGEMENT.