THE REC 

• Who is allowed to participate?
• Is there a fee to be a member?
• How do I sign up my child?
• Does my child have to sign in and out each time?
• If I have a younger child, do I have to stay with him/her?
• What are the hours of operation?
• Can a younger child stay with their older sibling during 7-12 grade time frame?
• Can I have a birthday party or rent out the gym?
• What are the rules of the Youth Center?
• Can my child do community service at the Youth Center?
• What can my child do at the Youth Center?
• Do you offer any tutoring services?
• How can I apply to work at the Youth Center?
• Why does the Youth Center close in May and not re-open until October?

• Who is allowed to participate?

The Youth Center is open to residents of North Tonawanda between grades K-12. In some cases, new members may be asked to show proof of residency (i.e., school ID, report card, etc.)

• Is there a fee to be a member?

The North Tonawanda Youth Center is a municipal funded organization. There is no cost for your child to be a member. All Youth Center based programming is free. There are some youth programs (i.e., Youth Basketball League, Soccer Clinics) that require a fee as they are not part of the Youth Center programming though they are held in the Youth Center.  Membership only requires filling out an online membership form so we have the child's emergency contact information on hand as well as a waiver release form.

• How do I sign up my child?

A parent/guardian should come with their child to the Youth Center anytime during open hours. A staff member will give you a tour and explain the rules and regulations. Parents must sign a waiver form for the child. Once this has been complete your child will be entered into the system.

• Does my child have to sign in and out each time?

Each day a participate enters the Youth Center they are required to sign in at the front desk. Attendance records are submitted to the county for funding purposes. Participants need not sign out when they leave; however, we do have a policy that states that once a child leaves the Youth Center they are not permitted back in for the day. This deters children from going outside to participate in illegal activities (smoking, etc.) and prevents them from loitering outside the Youth Center in an unsupervised manner.

• If I have a younger child, do I have to stay with him/her?

Each and every room we have is supervised by a staff member trained in first aid. There is no need for you to stay with your child unless you want to. If your child is under the age of 7, we do require you to come into the building to pick them up.

• What are the hours of operation?

The Youth Center is open Tuesday-Saturday. We divide our operational times between grade groups. K-5 grade can participate in programming Tuesday-Thursday from 4:30-6:30, Friday 4:30-7:00pm and Saturday from 12:00-4:00pm. 7-12 grades can participate in programming Tuesday-Thursday from 6:30-8:30, Friday from 6:30-9:00 and Saturday from 4:00-9:00pm. *Kids in grade 6 are now allowed to stay for both operational times. Please coordinate rides appropriately, as children K-5 grade will not be permitted to stay later than the time listed for their age group.

• Can a younger child stay with their older sibling during 6-12 grade time frame?

Younger children MUST be picked up at their designated end time.  We no longer allow younger children to stay during the older kids time.

• Can I have a birthday party or rent out the gym?

We do not allow private parties and/or outside organizations to rent out our rooms or gymnasium.

• What are the rules of the Youth Center?

Our rules are simple.  It's all about RESPECT.  Respect the staff, Respect your peers, Respect the building and equipment and Respect yourself.  The main goals of the Youth Center is to provide a SAFE and FUN atmosphere for children to participate in recreation activities. We do not tolerate bullying, drugs or violence of any kind. Instances of any such activity will result in dismissal from the Youth Center according to our Rules & Regulations policy. We consider it a privilege to participate in our programs. If you cannot abide by our guidelines, you will be asked to leave. The Rules & Regulations policy is clearly posted throughout the Youth Center, and participants are required to review this material before participating in our programming.

• Can my child do community service at the Youth Center?

Children can do community service at the Youth Center as part of their NTHS graduation requirement. Please contact the coordinator 695-8520 ext. 5510, ntyouthcenter@gmail.com, to make arrangements.

• What can my child do at the Youth Center?

Children can participate in any one of our clubs (cheerleading, dance, science club, video club, etc). We also have a Game Room for playing foosball, ping pong, billiards, air hockey, as well as offering comfy seating and a big screen TV. A Computer Room is available which includes consoles such as PS3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, as well as computers. Our Craft Room offers various arts and crafts that children can participate in. Our full-size gymnasium hosts daily "sport of the day" and then often offer open gym for any activity your child would like to participate. In addition, we are always holding special events, contest, games etc. Weekly activity schedules are always posted on the main page of our website.

• Do you offer any tutoring services?

YES! A number of our staff are in the education field, and would be more than happy to assist your child with school work at no cost. Contact the coordinator 695-8520 ext. 5510, ntyouthcenter@gmail.com to make arrangements.

• How can I apply to work at the Youth Center?
  

Applications are available at the Recreation Department (500 Wheatfield St.) beginning in August. Hiring for the Youth Center is usually done by mid-September. Applicants must be at least 16 years of age.

• Why does the Youth Center close in June and not re-open until October?
  

The Youth Center is closed for the summer because we take our activities outside to Payne Park. The reason there is a gap in programming is from a financial standpoint, as our personnel budget limits the amount time we can be open, while attendance during the summer hours usually begins to decline due to warm nice weather.