Often, the complaint is expressed by the town’s youth; particularly driving-and-employment limited adolescents under 16.

Both Roseanne Loring, life skills education coordinator of Newtown Youth Services (NYS), and Parks and Recreation Director Barbara Kasbarian say they have strived to draw teens’ interest through both employment and recreational activities.

“The Job Bank is perfect for [younger] students who would like to find work babysitting, doing yard work, helping out at parties, or filling other positions,” Ms Loring said.

Students age 13 and older can also participate in the NYS “Super Sitters” course. Students learn skills ranging from crisis management to tips in everyday child care. There course requires a nominal fee; transportation must be provided.

“I think that what is sometimes difficult in drawing [younger] teens is that they must have their own transportation to and from NYS,” Ms Loring admitted.

Often, with both parents and older siblings working, transportation can be limited.

“With consideration to the transportation issue, we have tried to have more activities at the schools,” Ms Loring said.

One such activity is Reed Intermediate School’s Chess Club, taught by two salaried Newtown High School students.

The club meets on days when late bus services are available.

NYS also hosts community service clubs including the Newtown High School and Newtown Middle School Youth Advisory Boards, as well as Newtown Youth Creating AIDS Awareness (NYCAAP), offering continuing enrollment.

The boards’ meeting dates and times are published each week in the education section of The Bee.

“We’re also continually looking for volunteers to help us pack and move our belongings to a [yet to-be-determined location],” said Ms Loring.

In May, NYS will give local students the opportunity to perform house and yard work for elderly residents.

“We do it every year,” Ms Loring said. In the past, NYS has organized the event with the Connecticut Youth Service Agency and AARP. It remains an event so eagerly anticipated that NYS often receives inquiries from older residents weeks ahead of the event. “It’s a great intergenerational activity,” Ms Loring noted.

In addition, NYS hosts 4-H Club and support groups such as Children of Divorce.

Young residents interested in learning more about NYS are encouraged to contact the organization at 270-4335.

Newtown’s Teen Center is located on Church Hill Road. A student-run board orchestrated the building’s renovation 13 years ago.

“These students were saying, back then, that there was nothing to do,” said Ms Kasbarian. “They were seeking a place to hang out.”

The Teen Center is equipped with pool, ping-pong, and foosball tables, vending machines, a CD player, a lounge area, and even a small kitchen.

Interest in the facilities have risen and fallen over the years, Ms Kasbarian said.

“We are always looking for new ideas to make the Teen Center better,” said Amy Mangold, director of the Teen Center. Ms Mangold meets with a youth advisory board at the Teen Center the second Friday of each month at 7:30 pm. The next meeting is April 9.

“One thing that has become increasingly popular is our band nights!” Ms Mangold said. Friday and Saturday evenings are designated specifically for Newtown High School students with the exception of the second Friday of the month, which is slated as Newtown Middle School night.

Often, Newtown musicians and bands are featured.

“We were getting a lot of out-of-towners when we had bands from outside of Newtown,” said Ms Mangold. “It limited our [building] capacity so now we keep our roster limited to Newtown bands.”

Student organizers decide performance schedules and fees, Ms Mangold said.

Newtown High School junior Henry Washburn has performed at the Teen Center as a solo musician.

“It’s cool when there are bands playing,” he said. He is also active in the high school’s Technology Club.

“The Technology Club does the lighting and other technical work for all kinds of events,” Henry said.

He noted that to keep busy in Newtown, teens largely have to utilize school-sponsored clubs and organizations.

Newtown High School freshman Jon Toikka wishes that there were more clubs geared specifically for first year students. “There aren’t a lot of things that I am interested in [at Newtown High School],” Jon said. Next year, however, he plans to join the Technology Club. “I like computers,” he said.

His mother, Susan Toikka, said she has heard “mixed” things about the Teen Center.

“Some parents I’ve talked to say it is a great place,” she said. “But I’ve also heard stories about [loitering] outside the Teen Center.”

There have been incidences of inebriated students trying to enter the Teen Center; they are automatically barred from the facility.

Police monitor the outside grounds. Newtown Middle School students are prohibited from coming and leaving the premises without parental permission.

“Getting the Newtown Middle School students involved can be difficult,” admitted Roseanne Reggiano, recreation supervisor for Parks and Recreation.

She recently organized a snow-tubing trip geared towards middle and high school students over February vacation for a nominal fee.

“We advertised through schools, through the Teen Center,” said Ms Reggiano. The trip was also featured in Parks and Recreation’s winter schedule. “Not one person signed up,” she said.

Ms Kasbarian and Ms Reggiano noted that for some reason the middle school students are hard to reach.

Last October, for example, the Teen Center sponsored two Halloween parties, one for Reed Intermediate School students; the other for Newtown Middle School students. While the Reed Intermediate party had a huge turnout, the middle school social was considerably smaller.

“The middle school students are growing more independent,” said Ms Kasbarian. “Maybe [as they get older] they became influenced by what is considered ‘cool’ and what isn’t.”

Ms Kasbarian and Ms Reggiano are passionate about drawing more teens, especially more middle school-aged ones, to area events and facilities such as the Teen Center.

“We are always open to suggestions,” Ms Kasbarian said.

For more information on Parks and Recreation’s offerings, call 270-4340.