The following article was submitted by the Lester Public Library.
TR Teen Nights are a unique community initiative to offer Two Rivers teens safe and inexpensive activities on Friday nights throughout the school year, and to counter the adage that “There’s nothing to do around here!”
The initiative was begun in 2017, starting with the partnership of the Lester Public Library, the Two Rivers Parks & Recreation Department, and Two Rivers Public Schools. Woodland Dunes Nature Center & Preserve and Hamilton Wood Type & Printing Museum soon joined. The partners invite teens into their spaces for constructive, fun activities.
The most obvious objective is to provide enriching events for teens. Another is to instill the sense that this community values its younger inhabitants and will find ways to encourage them. Further goals are that relationships are developed; ideas are exchanged; adults get the opportunity to look into the faces of students, friends, and future employees; and teens get the chance to forge friendships with adults and even find mentors.
Past TR Teen Nights have included letterpress printing workshops, night hikes and stargazing, zombie capture-the-flag at Walsh Field, and escape rooms. Recent events were “Pizza & Paint” at the library (see photo), and teens gathered at Woodland Dunes to make s’mores around a campfire.
Upcoming Teen Nights:
Music Trivia Night @ TRHS
Friday, March 25 ▪ 9th-12 graders ▪ $5/person or $30/team of 8
Games and prizes! Registration required. Sponsored by TRHS Music Boosters.
TRHS Baseball Game @ Walsh Field
Friday, April 1 ▪ all ages ▪ free for TR students
Cosmic Dodgeball @ Parks & Rec
Friday, April 8 ▪ 5th-12th graders ▪ $3
A cosmic light show, great music, and glow-in-the-dark ball combat at the Community House! Registration required.
For event details, visit www.lesterlibrary.org.
Interested in being a community partner? We aspire to engage enough partners so that each has to host only one or two events per year. Events certainly don’t have to be free–though we do encourage a cap of $5. We also invite supporting roles: at one TR Teen Night, Fatzo’s Sub & Pizza Shop of Two Rivers provided chili at reduced cost to participants, which added to the fun of an outdoor October event! For information, contact Terry Ehle at tehle@lesterlibrary.org or (920)793-7118.
