Hubert H. Humphrey Recreation Center in Pacoima offers teens a place to go when mom and dad are at work and staying with the grandparents just won't suffice.

Welcome to the Teen Center ... where kids can take part in sports and recreational activities and interact with other teens.

I've visited a few Teen Centers throughout the Valley and was happy to see that our teens have some pretty cool options - field trips, organized sports, recreational activities and a chance to socialize with other teens.

Brittany Harris, a 19-year-old Los Angeles Mission College student, helps run the Humphrey Teen Center. She's been working there since she was 16 and loves working with the kids.

As part of her program, she gives instruction during arts and crafts activities, provides drama classes, conducts cooking lessons and also finds time to handle outdoor games.

It sounds like Harris has her hands full, but she handles her work with a bright smile.

The Teen Center is a permissive program. This means the children who participate can come and go as they please and on average, Harris serves about 20 different faces a week.

Most of the kids come from the surrounding neighborhoods. They stop by to play, spend time with Harris and their friends.

For some kids, the Teen Center offers enough to keep them coming back regularly. That's the case with 13-year-old Lawrence Pointer, who is spending his second year at the center. His grandparents live a few blocks away from the Teen Center and he loves to show up and interact with kids his own age.

Lawrence started coming to the Teen Center because of his dad's friendship with one of the park's directors, who told them about the program.

After participating for a year, Lawrence decided to keep coming back because of all the fun he had at the center.

"It was a fun experience," said Lawrence. "I went surfing for the first time."

Bringing that sort of thing up in conversations with girls is really helpful, Lawrence said with a big smile on his face.

He said the center has introduced him to so many great things that his own dad started showing signs of jealousy when he heard some of the activities Lawrence was taking part in.

"We went kayaking ... first locally at Hansen Dam Aquatic Center then at the canals in Long Beach," Lawrence said.

His favorite activities are swimming and hanging out with new people.

Extremely social and well-spoken, Lawrence credits the center with aiding him in honing his communication and social skills.

"I very much so recommend this program (for teens)," said Lawrence. "I would be sitting at home bored or getting in trouble. I'm glad it's here."

Mercedes Young, 13, also enjoys the center and is exceptionally fond of her counselor.

The Robert Frost Middle School student said "Brittany is the coolest counselor ever. She has the coolest personality and she's real nice."

Mercedes comes to the Teen Center every day because it gives her a chance to hang out with friends and go on field trips such as Magic Mountain, Knott's Berry Farm, Soak City, the beach, fishing and snorkeling, just to name a few.

For her, an important detail of the center is "you get more privileges (as a teen) then you would at the little kids' camp." said Mercedes. "They treat us like young adults."

And because the Teen Center is a fun reunion spot for teens in the area, Mercedes said it has been a great place to make "tons of friends."

The Teen Center will operate Summer Camp for Teens through July and August. The hours are 9 a.m.- 4 p.m., Mondays through Fridays. Occasionally, the center operates on Saturdays for field trips or special events.

Hubert Humphrey's Teen Center is located at 12560 Filmore St., Pacoima.

For more information, call Brittany at (818) 897-3732.

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