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EDGE Teen Centers Receive Grant from Charles H. Dater Foundation

Melissa Rosser April 30, 2020 0 Edge News

LIBERTY TOWNSHIP, OH, Feb. 2020 – EDGE Teen Center recently received a $25,000 grant from the Charles H. Dater Foundation for its After-School Program. The funding will be used to support the programs offered at EDGE’s two teen center locations in Butler County where any teen in grades 9-12 may take part in EDGE programs that encourage them to grow personally, socially, and academically.


EDGE is one of the largest exclusively-teen afterschool centers in Ohio. About 150 teens attend daily where they enjoy a safe, supervised space where all teens are valued and accepted. They may also take part in programs that challenge them to become the best version of themselves. Key program focus areas are: Healthy Living, Academic Success, Life Skills and Community Service. Approximately 820 teens take part in EDGE programs each year.


EDGE Teen Center’s mission is to empower teens to impact the world. The Charles H. Dater Foundation makes grants to non-profit organizations in the Greater Cincinnati area such as EDGE to carry out programs that benefit young people and focus in the areas of arts/culture, education, healthcare, social services and other community needs.


The private foundation was established by fourth-generation Cincinnatian, businessman and philanthropist Charles Dater (1912-1993) to ensure that his resources would continue to fund worthwhile community programs after his death. The foundation has made more than 3,200 grants totaling over $53 million since its inception in 1985.

EDGE Teen Center Launches Supporter Awards Program

Melissa Rosser January 18, 2020 0 Edge News

LIBERTY TOWNSHIP, OH – As EDGE Teen Center wraps up its 10th anniversary year, the local non-profit is launching an annual awards program to honor individuals and businesses who partner in its mission to empower local teens.

This year’s award winners are:

Legacy Award – Annie Droege, a longtime EDGE leader from 2013-2019 who was instrumental in creating the successful and sustainable model for programming used at EDGE, collaborating with community experts in ways that brought great impact to teens, and mentoring many current EDGE staff members.

GOAT Volunteer Award (greatest of all time) – Tony Siegmann, a jack-of-all-trades and selfless volunteer willing to be “on call” who works quietly behind the scenes to help maintain the EDGE facility and ensure EDGE remains a safe, welcoming place for all teens.

Trifecta Award – Barclays, a global financial services company whoseHamilton Operations Center has for several years contributed significantly to the EDGE mission through both financial support and colleagues volunteering their time, talent and skills to support EDGE teens.

EDGE will recognize the award winners at its premier annual fundraising event, Give Teens the EDGE, on February 8, 2020.

This adults-only event is held at Four Points by Sheraton Hotel and starts at 6:30 pm. The talents of teens are showcased throughout the evening with entertainment provided by Lakota West High School jazz musicians and interactive dinner stations prepared by Chef Tyler Simpson and teens at the Butler Tech Culinary Arts program. Auction items, basket raffles, interactive games and teen trivia round out this casual annual event. Tickets are $50/person or $350 for a table of eight. Reservations can be made at www.edgeteencenter.com.

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Job Prep Program to Prepare Teens for Their First Job

Melissa Rosser November 11, 2019 0 Edge News

November 11, 2019
For immediate release

 

LIBERTY TOWNSHIP, OH – EDGE Teen Center is offering a new opportunity for teens ages 14-18. The Job Prep Program, sponsored by First Financial Foundation and Raising Cane’s, was created to give teens the initial skills needed to both attain and retain employment, and to supply local West Chester/Liberty Township businesses with prepared candidates.

This free job readiness certificate program offers two phases: 4.5 hours of interactive classroom learning, and 3 hours of on-the-job training.  Teens who participate in this program will work on soft skills such as applying for jobs, interviewing, financial literacy and dependability. They will also work on hard skills during optional on-the-job training days in the EDGE café, including customer service, working a register, managing inventory and more.

“We believe this program will fulfill an unmet need in the community,” said Annie Droege, EDGE’s operations director who created the job readiness curriculum with input from local employers who hire teens and grant funding provided by First Financial Foundation. “By the end of the program, teens will feel confident in both applying for their first job and will have the skills needed to retain their job.” Teens who complete both portions of the program receive a gift card they can use to buy clothing appropriate for an interview, and are guaranteed an interview with any of the seven local employers signed on as program partners.

This program will be offered several times during the year, with the first session held Nov. 12-14 at EDGE Teen Center, located at 7568 Wyandot Ln. Sign up at www.edgeteencenter.com or email annie@edgeteencenter.com.

“Dine to Donate” Dates Announced

Melissa Rosser November 7, 2019 0 Edge News

EDGE Teen Center’s “dine to donate” dates are listed below. EDGE receives a portion of sales, but you must mention EDGE at time of order.

  • November 20-Wings and Rings, Liberty Township
  • December 18-Texas Roadhouse, West Chester
  • January 15-Basil’s on Market, Mason
  • February 19-City BBQ, West Chester

EDGE Teen Center to Open Satellite Location to Serve Freshman from Lakota West

Melissa Rosser March 25, 2019 0 EDGE In The News, Edge News

LIBERTY TOWNSHIP, OH – EDGE Teen Center plans to open a satellite location to serve teens after school who attend Lakota West Freshman Campus beginning this August.

EDGE will operate its after-school, teen-focused program in space donated by Cornerstone Church, located within minutes of the freshman campus. The wing of the church’s building to be used is already built out with all of the fun factors needed for an effective teen center, including gaming tables, a café and music/AV systems. It also has plenty of private small group space that will be used for the daily programming that is part of the EDGE model that includes bringing in outside experts and speakers to address its four focus areas: Academic Success, Healthy Living, Life Skills and Community Service.

While the EDGE satellite teen center will be located within walking distance of the Lakota West Freshman Campus, free daily transportation will be offered. The group expects to serve 30-80 teens daily in its first year and to grow from there.

“To their credit, Cornerstone has this wonderful asset that they want to make available to serve the needs of the community,” said EDGE executive director Brenda Yablonsky. “People from this community have been asking us for years to bring a teen program to the west side of Lakota but the cost to build another facility was a barrier. This collaboration with Cornerstone is a game-changer.”

EDGE Teen Center has been serving teens on the east side of this community for 10 years at their center located on Wyandot Lane near Lakota East freshman and high school campuses.  They serve about 700+ teens a year through their various programs. About 100-115 teens attend daily after school at that location.

The uniqueness of the EDGE model is that it is 100% tailored to the unique needs of teens. The model of programming this new site will utilize is the same as EDGE’s current practice, so this will not be a faith-based program despite its location being housed in a church building. “Our shared goal is to meet the increasing need for teen-focused after-school programming in the Lakota West community, and this space has been made available and is conveniently located to serve many Lakota West families,” said Jamie Jordan, chair of EDGE’s board of directors.

“Cornerstone is very excited about this opportunity to serve our community,” said Aaron King, chair of Cornerstone’s board of Servant Leaders. “We see our partnership with EDGE Teen Center as a way to serve an often under-served segment of our community – our teens – by meeting them at this critical point of their development and providing support and encouragement. Our mission and location make us natural partners with EDGE.”

Youth Theatre Tickets Go On Sale Beginning Tuesday, May 28

Melissa Rosser February 14, 2019 0 Edge News

Tickets for the following shows go on sale on 5/28 at 9 am:

Disney’s FROZEN Jr. – Snow Cast: Sat, June 29, 7 pm; Sun, June 30, 5 pm

Disney’s FROZEN Jr. – Ice Cast: Sat, June 29, 4 pm; Sun, June 30, 7:30 pm

These shows are at Fitton Center, 101 S Monument Ave, Hamilton, OH 45011

To purchase tickets visit http://edgeteencenter.seatyourself.biz.

 

 

EDGE Teen Center and Focus on Youth Partnership Promoting Teen Social and Emotional Health Receives Grant from Spaulding Foundation

Melissa Rosser January 2, 2019 0 EDGE In The News, Edge News

LIBERTY TOWNSHIP, OH – EDGE Teen Center recently received a $15,000 grant from The Spaulding Foundation to fund the continuation of an initiative with Focus on Youth that addresses the increasing mental health and emotional needs of local teens.

Approximately 115 teens spend time at EDGE each day after school. A Focus on Youth clinician comes on site every week to offer support and mentoring and provide individualized counseling with parental consent.

“This is helping many teens to improve coping and resiliency skills they need in everyday life,” said Annie Droege, Teen Center Director. “It also connects teens who need ongoing individual treatment services with someone who can help them and allows them to get that support here at our center.”

The pilot for this program began in January 2018 with funding from the Community Grants Fund at the Community Foundation of West Chester/Liberty. The Spaulding Foundation grant ensures the continuation of a licensed clinician on site at EDGE each week.

Facilitated small groups focus on coping skills as well as the factors that contribute to mental health, such as stress management, trauma and relationships. “We also explore topics such as depression, bullying, self-injurious behaviors and complex emotions,” said Amy Shull with Focus on Youth. “The teens give input on real-world issues they struggle with that they would like to explore.”

Studies show that 20% of teens have a mental illness – defined as a condition that affects a young person’s thinking, emotions and mood to the extent that it interferes with daily functioning at home and school. “The end goal is to help teens feel better equipped and confident to handle the problems they face on a daily basis,” said Droege.

 

About EDGE Teen Center

EDGE Teen Center’s mission is to empower teens to impact the world.  It does this by providing high school students with a diverse, youth-driven center dedicated to fostering mentoring relationships among teens and caring adults.  Serving nearly 750 teens annually, EDGE challenges students to realize their full potential and become the best version of themselves through facilitated programs in these focus areas: Community Service, Academic Success, Life Skills, and Healthy Living.  

 

About Focus on Youth

Located in West Chester, Ohio, Focus on Youth, Inc.’s mission is to improve the lives of children by providing strengths-based foster care, adoption, and mental health services that promote the permanency, safety, and well-being of youth. Focus on Youth’s Behavioral Health Services are open to children ages 3 and up and their families, with specialization in trauma treatment and play therapy.

About The Spaulding Foundation

The Spaulding Foundation is a private foundation funded from the estate of a longtime Northside resident, Ruth Spaulding.  Funded in 1998, The Spaulding Foundation is dedicated to improving the quality of life in the community, focusing in the areas of mental health, physical and mental disabilities, substance abuse/chemical addiction, and domestic violence, rape and abuse. The Spaulding Foundation is also a longtime supporter of Mrs. Spaulding’s favorite local organization, The Cincinnati Zoo.

 

Community Foundation grants $30K to EDGE Teen Center

Melissa Rosser September 25, 2018 0 EDGE In The News, Edge News

The Community Foundation of West Chester/Liberty recently announced a $30,000 grant to EDGE Teen Center in Liberty Township to purchase a van for the EDGE Community Service Program. The grant is part of the Foundation’s focus on identifying micro-solutions to transportation barriers throughout the community, as identified in their 2017 Community Needs Assessment.

“We are excited to partner with EDGE to help improve access to community service opportunities for local teens,” said Erin Clemons, Community Foundation president and CEO. “This will be an asset to both the students and the local organizations they are serving.”

The EDGE Community Service Program provides service opportunities to 400 teens at 15 area organizations such as Chesterwood Village Nursing Home, Matthew 25 Ministries, Reach Out Lakota, and PAWS. In 2017 they provided 1500 round-trips that allowed students to perform more than 4,000 hours of service. Transportation to and from service sites is provided free of charge for students, many of whom do not yet drive or do not have access to a car to drive themselves.

“Having a reliable van is critical to our ability to sustain and continue to growing this popular program,” said Brenda Yablonsky, executive director of EDGE. “This new van means we can continue to expose local teens to service opportunities that help them build confidence, sense of purpose, leadership and decision-making skills – all while benefiting many nearby social service agencies and their clients.”

The $30,000 grant will cover the purchase of a new, reliable 15-passenger van to replace EDGE’s existing 20-year-old vehicle. Additional grants and fundraising efforts will cover maintenance, fuel costs and other program expenses over the projected 10-year life of the new vehicle. EDGE plans to purchase and have the new van in operation during the 2018-2019 school year.

For more information about the EDGE Community Service Program and other opportunities for teens at EDGE, and to learn how you can help their mission of empowering teens to impact the world, visit www.edgeteencenter.com.

College Tour

Melissa Rosser April 23, 2018 0 Edge News, EDGE Parent E-Blast

FIELD TRIP- Tour of the Cincinnati State Middletown Campus

 

On Thursday, May 10th, our teens have been invited to Cincinnati State- Middletown. We have had a great partnership with Cincinnati State this past school year and this will be a FUN end of year celebration. EDGE teens will get to learn about their different programs on campus. Students will have access to Academic Advisors and several of the different labs they have on campus. The teens will be given the opportunity to see all the positives this Community College has to offer. A meal will also be provided while the teens are there. Teens will leave by 3 pm and will return to EDGE by 6 pm. Please sign up through this Sign Up Genius link for your teen to come on this field trip.

www.SignUpGenius.com/go/20F084AABAD28A1FD0-college 

Food with Friends

Melissa Rosser April 23, 2018 0 Edge News, EDGE Parent E-Blast

LEARN COOKING BASICS WITH YOUR TEEN- Wednesday, April 25th

 

Back by popular demand is the Food with Friends Cooking class. This opportunity is possible because of our partnership with C3: Caring Community Collaborative. THIS Wednesday from 5:30-7 pm, Chef Troy from Troy’s Cafe will be back and this time he is going to be demonstrating how to cook two great healthy meals, basic knife skills, and food safety. There will be a light dinner served. This is available for ANY teens and their parents. Enjoy the experience together! The flier for this event is attached to this email. Please RSVP to: annie@edgeteencenter.com

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EDGE@East Teen Center
7568 Wyandot Lane
Liberty Township, OH 45044
located across from LEHS Main Campus melissa@edgeteencenter.com
Questions? Call 513-755-2400
Hours: 2:30pm-6:00pm *Summer hours may vary

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