The goal of this program is to provide a safe, fun place for community teens to meet and study, use computers, watch tv., eat, and learn about tolerance and diversity. This room is a part of the Wetherington Boys and Girls Club in North Little Rock, Arkansas. Currently there is no place in the building provided for teens to meet. They have no teens who attend. We are remodeling a room and have been successful in making it a community effort. I serve on the NLR Mayor's Youth Coucnil and started this effort as my community project. I spoke to the council and got them involved and have spoken to adults in the community. The teens on the council have helped paint the room. One member's mom who is an interior decorator met with council members and community members to plan the interior design. A local adoption agency will update 6 computers that I got donated. A donor provided paint and we have completed painting the room. Cricket Phone Company provided four couches. An apartment building company removed the old flooring. The local school district donated 5 computer chairs and 5 arm chairs for the study tables. A donor gave a large-screen TV. I spoke about this project to The Methodist Men’s Club, the parents at the NLRMYC year-end banquet, the Civitan Club, and the local Sertoma Club. The Sertoma Club had a lot of good suggestions for completing the room, and we may get some help from them. The things that are still needed are as follows: 1. flooring - estimated cost $800 2. floor lamps and area lighting - hope to have them donated by local merchants 3. a cabinet to use as a "bar" for the food court area 4. cork for 4 large bulletin boards and molding to frame them 5. small refrigerator for food court 6. microwave 7. movies and games (to be donated by mayor's youth council members when school starts) 8. provide internet capability for the computers 9. doors with glass at the room’s entry 10. chairs to put around the game/study tables 11. bean bag chairs 12. DVD /VCR player Our metropolitan area had gang problems in the 1990’s. After school programs and Police Athletic League programs made great improvements, but the gangs have returned and are a threat to the community’s safety. I believe that by getting a place for teens to go, they won’t get involved with gangs. This place will give them an opportunity to do homework, be tutored, mentor younger kids, watch movies and do fun activities. They can use the computers to do homework. Area adults (like the Director of the Mayor’s Youth Council, NLR Youth Services, NLR Health Department, Pulaski County Juvenile Services, NCCJ) can present programs on tolerance and accepting others, job opportunities seminars, abstinence, leadership, the dangers of gang involvement, and money management. I would like to use the $500 grant to help finish this room by purchasing whatever of the smaller items that we are unable to get donated – like the refrigerator, microwave, lamps, chairs, VCR/DVD player – and leave enough money to have a back-to-school mixer to pull in kids from all over North Little Rock.