Teen Center

The Columbia Teen Center Teen Outreach Committee is sponsoring a clothing drive to benefit local families. Donations of clothes for all ages and sizes can be dropped off at the center, 5853 Robert Oliver Place in Columbia by Nov. 30. Teens will sort the clothes and deliver them to families in January. Call 410-992-3726 for more information.

Editor: Whatever happened to teen centers, CYOs and high school mixers? How do the teens (16-19) of Harford County socialize these days? Facebook, texting and interactive gaming! They boast about having hundreds, even thousands of Facebook friends, but in reality how many do they actually physically see and do social activities with? There is nothing for most teens to look forward to on the weekends. Of course, there is the mall, spending time in local restaurants, which can be costly!

Editor: Whatever happened to teen centers, CYOs and high school mixers? How do the teens (16-19) of Harford County socialize these days? Facebook, texting and interactive gaming! They boast about having hundreds, even thousands of Facebook friends, but in reality how many do they actually physically see and do social activities with? There is nothing for most teens to look forward to on the weekends. Of course, there is the mall, spending time in local restaurants, which can be costly!

Listings are accepted on a space-available basis. Deadline is 5 p.m. Thursday prior to date of publication at the latest. To submit volunteer items, mail to Volunteers, Patuxent Publishing Co., Third Floor Editorial, 501 N. Calvert St., Baltimore, MD 21278; email hccalendar@patuxent.com ; fax 410-332-6336; or call 410-332-6497. Small Miracles Cat Rescue - Seeking volunteers to help with cleaning and feeding at the shelter, as well as a morning or evening at either the Columbia or Ellicott City Petco, and the adoption process.

West Columbia middle school students looking to escape the after-school doldrums will have a place of their own next school ++ year, courtesy of the Columbia Association: a new teen center.The Columbia Council allocated $10,000 in the fiscal year that started Sunday to staff a west side teen center at Kahler Hall in Harper's Choice village. The Harper's Choice village board also contributed $3,500 to pay for start-up equipment costs.The new center, which is projected to open in September, will have a capacity of about 50 students for after-school activities and about 100 for events, such as dances.

The Columbia Teen Center will offer a Super Baby-Sitter class for children ages 11 to 14 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday and on the third Saturday of each month. The course covers marketing techniques, first aid and emergency procedures, age-appropriate activities and other skills. A certificate will be awarded. The cost is $40 for Columbia residents and $48 for nonresidents. Registration is required. The center is at 5853 Robert Oliver Place in the Oakland Mills Village Center. Information: 410-992-3726.

The Columbia Association's Columbia Teen Center is accepting registration for its After School Enrichment Program for youths ages 9 to 18. Participants can register for special-interest clubs in topics including hip-hop and break dancing, cooking, gardening, arts and crafts, computers and technology. Those interested can also serve on committees, including Welcoming, Judicial Review, Special Events and SAVE (Students Against Violence Everywhere.) The Teen Center is at 5853 Robert Oliver Place in the Oakland Mills Village Center in Columbia.

"Y'know, I don't think this town really likes kids. You can tell because they don't have things for kids to do."That's what 6-year-old Rose Miller told her mother Kathy two years ago on a downtown Annapolis stroll.Now Kathy Miller, chairwoman of the Alliance for a Drug-Free Annapolis, wants to prove her daughter wrong by rallying the city to build a state-of-the-art teen center.About 20 high school students and civic activists came to the Eastport Firehall Thursday night for a brainstorming session on when and where to build a "positive place" that teens "can call their own."

At "The Barn" in Columbia, there's no hay, farmers or four-legged animals -- just lots of teen-agers horsing around.Basking in the fun one afternoon last week at what's known officially as the Columbia Association's Teen Center were Morgan Bell, 12, and Danya Anthony, 16, who played pool downstairs.As Cheryl Lynn's classic R&B hit "Got To Be Real" blared from the radio, the two keyed their shots until only the eight ball remained. When it was over, Danya shot the black ball into a right pocket, and left as the victor.

Men scuffle in the darkness outside the old grocery store, jostling each other on the sidewalk under the broken Coca-Cola sign.Their voices, loud and angry, filter through the barred windows of the little store that's now a teen center. Two dozen children sit munching hot dogs and watching a movie, ignoring the commotion and the sound of breaking glass until a police car pulls up with blaring sirens.The children rush to look outside. A few 10-year-olds wander up the block to watch the arrest, returning only reluctantly when outreach worker Joseph "Zastrow" Simms corrals them and admonishes them backinto their seats.

Todd Allen named executive of year Todd Allen, Howard County human resources administrator, was named the "Jack Foster Executive of the Year" at the Local Government Personnel Association Professional Conference and Awards Luncheon held Nov. 6 in Washington. Allen was selected based on his outstanding performance and for his leadership in addressing the challenges faced by county employees during the past 18 months. In addition, Randy Zamzow and Kathy Burk were nominated for the "Personnel Team."

The Columbia Teen Center Teen Outreach Committee is sponsoring a clothing drive to benefit local families. Donations of clothes for all ages and sizes can be dropped off at the center, 5853 Robert Oliver Place in Columbia by Nov. 30. Teens will sort the clothes and deliver them to families in January. Call 410-992-3726 for more information.

The Green Building Institute, 7761 Waterloo Road, Jessup, will offer a program on "Zero Energy Homes," optimizing materials and energy resources, and incorporating ecologically sound designs, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday. The cost is $40 for institute members; $55 for nonmembers. An individual membership and the seminar cost $80. A seminar on Geothermal Energy Systems, using underground sources of water and steam, is planned from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday. A brief discussion of financing options for residential buildings is to be included.

Special Olympics Howard County is seeking figure skating coaches. Practices are held from 10 a.m. to 10:50 a.m. Saturdays at The Gardens Ice House, 13800 Old Gunpowder Road, Laurel. Volunteers are also coaches for all-day competitions to be held Feb. 15 and May 17. An orientation session is required. Information: Beth Greenberg, 410-740-0500 or e-mail, bjb410@comcast.net. around town Volunteers needed : The Volunteer Center Serving Howard County, in cooperation with the Community Emergency Response Network, is recruiting members of the community to local nonprofit agencies in need of volunteers.

Brad Knudsen, manager of the Patuxent Research Refuge, has announced that the National Wildlife Visitor Center will open to the public Jan. 21 after being renovated. Its new heating and ventilation systems are designed to be more energy-efficient and cost-effective. The annual National Wildlife Refuge System birthday celebration will be held March 14 at the visitor center, and the Friends of Patuxent Wildlife Art Show and Sale will be held at the newly renovated facility March 28 and 29. The visitor center will be open 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily, except federal holidays.

Volunteers needed : The Volunteer Center Serving Howard County, in cooperation with the Community Emergency Response Network, is recruiting members of the community to local nonprofit agencies in need of volunteers. 410-715-3179. Teen center : Howard County Department of Recreation and Parks has opened Freestyle, a teen drop-in center at Ridgely's Run Community Center, 8400 Mission Road, Jessup. The center, designed by teens for teens, will offer a choice of hanging out with friends, playing basketball and video games, listening to music and other activities.

The Columbia Association Teen Center will sponsor a session of Operation SMART -- Science, Math and Relevant Technology -- for girls.The six-week session will be held from 11 a.m. to 1: 30 p.m. Saturdays, beginning Sept. 26.The program, by Girls Inc., is designed to create familiarity and ease with science and mathematics through hands-on projects, activities, trips and visits with successful women. The science of bubbles, wellness for young women, urban gardening and crime lab chemistry are among the projects.

Members of the newly incorporated Greater Elkridge Teen Center -- a coalition of local church members, organizations and residents aiming to open a full-time recreation center -- say they may have a building to lease by January.The group is considering leasing space in one of two buildings, but declined to give details because negotiations are still in the preliminary stages, said the Rev. Michael Russell of Grace Episcopal Church in Elkridge.Planning for the future, members of the coalition met Wednesday to expand their organizing committee and investigate other youth-oriented activities for the teen center besides the current monthly dances.

The South Laurel Recreation Council will present Nutcracker Fantasy from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. today at the Deerfield Run Community Center, 3000 Laurel-Bowie Road. The free presentation by the Bob Brown Puppets will be followed by a visit from Santa and friends. Participants are invited to take a camera. The council will also continue conducting Holiday Workshops through Saturday at the Montpelier Carriage House and the Deerfield Run Community Center, Route 197, Laurel. Information: 301-776-2805.