Teen Lounge Opens At Boys & Girls Clubs Of Albany

For Release: Immediate – Monday, June 22, 2009
Contact: Keyon Young, 462-5528

(Albany) – The Leadership Tech Valley (LTV) Class of 2009, a shared initiative of the Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Chamber of Schenectady County, celebrated the opening of the new Teen Lounge at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Albany, 21 Delaware Avenue, with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday, June 18 at 5:30 p.m.

As part of the program, graduates of Leadership Tech Valley completed a service project for a community organization. The LTV Class of 2009 chose to work with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Albany to create a space, originally being used for storage, for teens to relax, play video games and have access to computers.

Using the suggestions from a group of teens at the Boys & Girls Club, the raw space was transformed into a “teen lounge” using bright colors, new carpeting and furniture. With the help of generous contributions from lead donors CSArch Architecture, The Golub Foundation, Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory and BBL Construction, the class was able to achieve the transformation of the room, which includes a flat screen television and a Wii Entertainment System.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Albany is a positive place for kids where the mission is to inspire and enable all young people, especially those from disadvantaged circumstances, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens. As one of the only sites with a functioning full-time program dedicated to teens in the City of Albany, the Teen Lounge will provide a space that will stimulate creative thoughts while providing a peaceful place and safe haven amidst the other activities at the Club, such as college preparation, academic assistance, job readiness and sports.

Leadership Tech Valley offers a unique opportunity for outstanding individuals from diverse fields and backgrounds to step inside the circle of decision making and problem solving that is shaping the future of our region. Participants learn about the most pressing issues facing the community, including: government and politics, education, media, health care and economic development. For more information, visit www.leadershiptechvalley.org.

The Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce is an organization that works to improve business for its membership. It is a unique, centralized advocacy group comprised of 2,500 businesses that employ more than 100,000 workers. The Chamber is committed to economic development and actively works with federal, state and local governments to ensure the continued growth and viability of Tech Valley.

The Chamber of Schenectady County, founded in 1924, is a network of more than 1,000 business organizations serving more than 50,000 employees. Its mission is to drive the business climate throughout Schenectady County, and its vision is to be a catalyst for partnerships and progress and to provide its members and the community with the tools to achieve growth, prosperity and a superior quality of life.

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