Oct 20, 2022 5 min read

Since our Common Ground Teen Center’s annual Seesaw Marathon Fundraiser is this weekend (4 p.m. Friday to 4 p.m. Saturday), some of the over 100 teens who will seesaw and volunteer wanted to share what the center means to them. In ABC order:

Piper Bell (13): The Teen Center is so important to me because I’m always busy. When I’m at the Teen Center, I don’t have to worry about anything outside the center.

Elizabeth (Lizzy) Brison (16): When COVID began, socialization was cut out of many teenagers’ lives, which limited the fun most could have. For me, COVID seemed to be a miracle. I had seen people become frustrated or become saddened due to the loss of their social access, but I never understood what was so terrible about being isolated. For me, this meant I wouldn’t feel obliged to see other people or others I was trying much harder than I should to keep close to me. Unbeknownst to me, my anxiety was very quickly increasing as the months progressed. I ended up in a situation where I could not be around people, even my own family, for more than an hour before needing to separate myself. The separation then eventually became a complete panic attack in almost every place outside my house. It was an extremely frustrating period for both me and my mom (the one person who had supported me desperately even after my change in attitude). Unfortunately, not many therapists were available at the time, so my struggle continued. One day I came across a place of acceptance titled “The Common Ground Teen Center.” I was shocked this proved to be true when I first visited. Nobody called me out for acting differently around others or for not having many social skills. In fact, I actually made quite a few true friends rather quickly. Slowly, I was able to improve my anxiety with incredible support from those around me. Today, I now have a service dog to help me in these situations which the other teens were very eager to help me train. Now I am able to be in social settings for much longer thanks to the support and help of the Teen Center.

Isiah Dale (18): The Common Ground Teen Center means more to me than just a job. The Teen Center is a place where I can go to talk to people my age without fear of being judged and knowing that people there can relate to you and give you advice or just hold space with you and let you talk. The Teen Center is also somewhere I can always rely on having an activity going and having something fun to do.

Elizabeth Engle (15): If you would ask me why I love going to the Teen Center, my answer would be because it is a safe place for all teens from ages 13 to 18 to come and have fun. By a safe space, I mean there is no judging, and that’s my favorite part of it. You can come to the Center and make new friends and do some of my favorite activities there, like Cooking Club and Peer Education. Every Friday night is Games Night, where I get to make more connections with the friends I have and make new friends through the different games we all play.

Quinn Fulton (14): The Teen Center matters to me because, it gives me somewhere to go after school instead of me binge watching a Netflix show in bed until I fall asleep. It also gives me a safe space where I know I won’t be judged for who I am.

Jai Gough (16): The Teen Center is such a safe and supportive place for me to go after school. It is such a comforting place to be, and I love being there! The free pizza doesn’t hurt either!

Adele Hollowood (12): I like the Teen Center because it is fun to be here, and I have fun with all the clubs.

Alexis Leppert-Bell (16): The people are nice. The food is good.

Brycen McAdoo (16): I like the Teen Center because it’s a place to be me and be busy and entertained.

Katherine McGinnis (17): The Teen Center is one of the most accepting places I have been to, there is not judgment or hateful talk or casting out for any reason. Everyone is welcome and everyone is happy.

Sarah Secco (14): Before I started going to the center, I never really felt like I belonged anywhere. I never had many friends, and I was quite lonely. I’m so thankful that I have found the teen center and it means so much to me. Everyone there makes you feel wanted and valued as a person. Words can’t begin to express how glad I am to go there each week. In all honesty, I mostly just go to hang out with my friends, but I especially love that there is even more to do in addition to that. If I want to go there to eat some snacks and paint in the art room, I can do that.On top of that, I’ve gotten so many skills and insights while at the center that have really helped me a lot in life. Especially leadership and social skills. I wouldn’t be the person I am today without the Teen Center.

Have a question? Send it to Dr. Mary Jo Podgurski’s email podmj@healthyteens.com