From left, Erin Schlegel, 12, and Sophie Tedesco, 12, play air hockey at McLean Teen Center’s Back-to-School night. Photo by Reena Singh.
Disco lights and music have taken over an abandoned fire station in town.
The McLean Teen Center held their Back-to-School Night on Friday to gear students up for fall - and a host of fall activities.
According to assistant facilitator Aaron Martin, the teen center directors meet with a teen council comprising students from Langley and McLean high schools to come up with new ideas.
“It’s a way to give back to the community,” said McLean High School sophomore Ashley Reynolds. “I enjoy coming to the firehouse and planning dances and the McLean Block Party.”
This year, the dances are opening up to fifth and sixth grade students.
“That should get it a little more crowded in here,” said Martin.
For Back to School Night, students could either play air hockey, pool or video games in the game room or boogie on the dance floor.
Ashley Reynolds said the council is thinking of hosting a taco or spaghetti night, lock-ins and a Halloween haunted house.
“We’re planning new events here, and trying to get things started,” she said.
According to Martin, the membership per teen is $150 annually, a price he said is less than other after school programs. The program picks students up from Cooper Middle School and Langley High School. They also accept requests for pickups at McLean High School.
Students will head to King’s Dominion on Oct. 13 for a Halloween based trip and go to the state fair on Oct. 26.
In addition to the out of town trips, however, the teen center also hosts regularly scheduled weekly events.
Monday: Free tutoring services through Georgetown Learning Center, cooking club, art club.
Tuesday: Community Service.
Wednesday: Photography club.
Thursday: Fitness club, Pet Therapy.
Friday: Out of town trips.
“We also have zumba classes, yoga and pilates mixed with boxing,” said Martin.
Meah Cook, a seventh grade student at Longfellow Middle School, has been in the after school program for two years now. She also participated in the teen center’s summer camp.
“I like the counselors,” she said. “They’re a lot of fun. We go to tons of great places like Hershey Park and King’s Dominion.”
She said she enjoys learning how to bake and making crafts when she’s not going on one of the scheduled trips.
“My sister came here before, too,” she said. “She went to the dances. They’re pretty fun.”