Doors delay opening of teen center
The SoZo Teen Center will open its doors to local teens — that is, as soon as it gets doors.
The teen center, which has moved from its temporary location in the First Baptist Church on Public Square to the Marcy Building, was scheduled to open today, but the opening will be delayed one week because the teen center doors are on back order.
SoZo Teen Center Executive Director Anthony R. Gullo said the teen center will "absolutely" be open Nov. 30.
The teen center has been closed for two weeks while it prepares its new location.
SoZo, formerly the Watertown Teen Center, has undergone a number of changes over the past two years. The name of the center was changed in 2008 to SoZo, from a Greek word meaning to save and make whole. It also saw a new director in October 2007 and has moved from its former location on High Street to a temporary location at First Baptist Church, and now the Marcy Building.
"I don't think you can get more centrally located than this. To be able to stay in the downtown area was a big plus," said Mr. Gullo, who pointed out that a number of teens walk from their homes to the center.
At its new location, the teen center will have several computers connected to the Internet, a pool table, video game systems and a fully operational kitchen.
Mr. Gullo said he is looking to use the kitchen not only to serve dinner to the teens, but also as part of a culinary arts program. He plans to invite local restaurant owners and staff from the culinary program at Jefferson Community College as guests to teach teens cooking skills.
"We're looking to be a program-driven center," he said.
Through programs teaching teens marketable skills, including the culinary program as well as a multimedia program made possible by a grant from the Department of Social Services, Mr. Gullo said, the teens can become more competitive in the work force.
"When they get out there in the job market, we want them to know what they're doing," Mr. Gullo said.
About 35 to 40 teens had been going to the teen center every day, Mr. Gullo said.
Starting next week, the center will be open from 2:30 to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday for teens ages 13 to 19.
Mr. Gullo, a softball coach at Immaculate Heart Central, promotes fitness and partners with the Watertown Family YMCA to allow the center's teens to use the Public Square facility.
The teen center also encourages students to study through its student zone, a daily 30-minute period devoted to homework or reading, Mr. Gullo said. The center will have a library for teens to borrow from if they forget to bring homework.
"We're placing academics as a priority," Mr. Gullo said. "Some kids don't have strong leadership at home. Some aren't even going to school. We want to have resources to help them, too."
Mr. Gullo said his directorship at the SoZo Teen Center has seen the creation and enforcement of a student policy and a code of conduct, asking teens to respect the center's resources and each other. The new rules have promoted a more comfortable atmosphere for the center's patrons, he said.
"They don't feel threatened," Mr. Gullo said. "They feel they're in a safe place."
The SoZo Teen Center will hold a benefit concert featuring Rory Block on Saturday at the Clayton Opera House. SoZo teens will serve hors d'oeuvres at 6 p.m. and the performance will begin at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets are $25 for general admission and can be purchased at all Kinney Drugs stores in Watertown or at the Clayton Opera House box office. Proceeds from the concert will benefit the center's building campaign fund.
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