WATERVILLE — Kennebec Valley Community Action Program’s South End Teen Center celebrated its 20-year milestone anniversary with an open house Sept. 21.

The gathering included youth-led tours of the newly updated facility. Recent upgrades include freshly painted walls in all of the rooms and new appliances, with the addition of a washer and dryer for members who need to do their laundry, according to a news release from Andrea Pasco, development director.

Special guest Dr. Nirav Shah from the Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention toured the public health district that day, and was able to attend and learn more about the teen center. Agency leadership shared ways that staff were able to shift operations during the early phase of the pandemic via virtual visits, and Shah commended the center’s effective programming to help local youth stay safely connected and supported throughout this time, according to the news release.

The center was formed in 2002 as a result of input provided at a South End forum, where residents shared concerns about the lack of after-school activities in the neighborhood. In partnership with the Alfond Youth & Community Center, KVCAP opened the SETC on the Waterville campus as a unit of the Boys and Girl Clubs of America.

Over the last two decades the SETC has provided resources, academic and social supports, opportunities for community service projects, and enrichment activities to hundreds of local youth. Many members have been the first in their families to graduate from high school, and the majority have gone on to post-secondary education or directly into the workforce.

To learn more about what the SETC has to offer local middle and high school aged youth, visit kvcap.org or call 207-873-5621.

Check out other upcoming area events!