'A safe but fun place'

South Orange Family YMCA’s community 'Beat the Streets’ program opens this Saturday MONROE — The South Orange Family YMCA is launching a new community program tomorrow, Oct. 1, designed to give pre-teens and teens ages 10 to 15 a place to hang out in “a safe but fun place” on Saturday nights and which offers them recreational sports, dancing and art opportunities with their friends. Called “Beat the Streets,” the program is modeled after the successful four-year-old program based at the flagship Middletown YMCA and is funded through a grant from the Dyson Foundation. The program is open to both Y and non-Y members. Y officials are enthusiastic about its creation, and are hopeful to see several hundred kids come into the facility on Saturday evening. The Y closes at 5 p.m. on Saturdays, so members looking to visit the facility aren’t affected. Beat the Streets will be offered the first the three Saturdays of the month so the Y can continue offering family nights for its members on the fourth Saturday of each month. Sports, dancing, Play Stations “Who doesn’t know a kid that says 'I’m bored, I have nothing to do,’” said Ross Miceli, the South Orange Y’s branch director. “Kids say that no matter what town they live in. The intent of this program is to give kids a safe place, a fun place, in a structured setting and in a social atmosphere where they can partake in recreational, organized sports and go to a dance party.” The Y’s group exercise studio will transform into a dance lounge featuring a DJ, said Miceli, and the gym will be used for games such as dodge ball, basketball, “wall-to-wall” football, volleyball and other team sports. The youth center will be a place for kids age 10 to 12 to play interactive games owned by the Y, using Nintendo Wii, X Box Connects, and the Play Station Move systems. The Y’s flex area will be used for art projects so kids can use that medium as a method of expression, he said. The Dyson Foundation subsided many of the costs, Miceli said, which allows the admission price for non-members to be so low. “Eventually we’ll be looking for community partners to donate items like pizzas,” he added. Outreach An important component of the program is its leadership staff who, Miceli said, wants to be viewed as mentors to the kids. “We’ve handpicked staff who we hope will be positive role models for the kids, and their main roles are to interact with the kids,” said Miceli. “They’ll be in a safe atmosphere here, on a Saturday night, and off the streets where they could get into trouble.” Miceli stressed kids will be in a secure environment when at the Y. For the inaugural night, Miceli suggested parents arrive with their kids at 6:45 p.m. to register. Children will be only be released to whoever is designated on the release form, similar to Y members signing kids in and out of the Y’s Youth Center, he said, adding “kids cannot come and go. Once they’re here, they’re here until their parent or designated person picks them up.” Y staff members visited the Monroe-Woodbury Middle School yesterday, with another visit planned for today to hand out flyers to students during their lunch breaks. “I really hope it catches on,” Miceli added. “It’s going to be really fun for the kids.” Who doesn’t know a kid that says 'I’m bored, I have nothing to do.’ Kids say that no matter what town they live in. The intent of this program is to give kids a safe place, a fun place, in a structured setting and in a social atmosphere where they can partake in recreational, organized sports and go to a dance party.” Ross Miceli, South Orange Family YMCA branch manager Having 'their time’ MONROE — The South Orange Family YMCA’s “Beat the Streets” program is modeled its sister program at the Middletown YMCA, which has been in place for the past four years. “It may be a bit different because the economics and dynamics are different in the Monroe area (than in Middletown),” said Shawn Thomas, program coordinator at the Middletown branch. “But the program will offer kids a way to express themselves with guidance. They can come in here and have 'their time’ with supervision to do what they want with rules and regulations.” Thomas expects the South Orange Y’s program to develop its own identity. “This is a great chance for us to allow the kids to build their own program, one they are comfortable with,” he said. Like the Middletown program - although that one is open to kids up to age 17 - the Monroe program will offer kids of different ages to blend together, just as they often times would be in their neighborhoods. “One of the things we stress to the older kids is to conduct yourself in a manner that shows maturity for your age,” said Thomas. “And for the younger kids, they should see that and say, 'I see what I’m supposed to be acting like.’” What to do on a Saturday night? The South Orange Family YMCA’s “Beat the Streets” program is offered the first the three Saturdays of the month from 7 to 10 p.m. Fee: Free to Y members; $5 per non-member. Activities: Dance lounge in the Y’s group exercise room featuring a DJ. Organized sporting games, including dodge ball, basketball, “wall-to-wall” football and volleyball. Interactive sports games using the Y’s gaming systems. Healthy snacks and drinks are for sale at a small fee. To learn more, call 782-9622.