Teen Innovation Center gives teens access to technology to build skills for their future
For teens with big dreams, access to technology is essential to opening new pathways and possibilities. But the digital divide – access to a computer and reliable internet at home – can be an obstacle.
Through a multiyear financial gift from Phillips 66, the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles has opened a Teen Innovation Center in Wilmington, California, for students to collaborate and connect through technology and guided programming. The 1,000-square-foot space features more than 20 computers plus 3D printers, podcasting, photography and other creative arts equipment.
“As is the Center for Community Well-Being, the LA Y is committed to ensuring our youth and communities have access to the tools and resources to develop not only strong bodies, but strong minds – access to technology is paramount to success in school and career readiness, and the Teen Innovation Center gives students and community members a place to build these skills,” says Mario Valenzuela, Chief Mission Advancement Officer for the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles. We are grateful for Phillips 66’s investment in our youth and we are excited to see the positive impact this space will make on our community in the Wilmington region.”
Teen Innovation Center, presented by Phillips 66.
During the school year, the Wilmington YMCA creates a safe space for more than 1,200 students each month to learn, grow and connect. In the summer, that number grows to more than 2,500 in the summer.
Jaziel Galindo, a rising senior at Phineas Banning Senior High School, has been a member of the Wilmington YMCA since pre-school when his mother joined the Mother Read literacy program. An aspiring firefighter, Jaziel enjoys going to the Y with friends to work out in the gym.
He and other teenagers have been engaged in the Teen Innovation Center from the start, providing input on what they want to see in this space that they can call their own. The Center includes a collaboration space that will be used for the Wilmington delegation of the California YMCA Youth & Government program, a statewide youth leadership and civic responsibility building opportunity for middle and high school youth. Jaziel, currently the treasurer and candidate for president, says the group has helped him learn how to advocate for his community.
“I’m excited that teenagers will be able to come to the Y so we can learn skills that we will need later in life or for our jobs,” he says.
For Phillips 66, this investment reflects a rich history that will develop leaders for generations.
“Phillips 66 has been part of this community for more than a century, and throughout that time we have worked alongside local nonprofit organizations to invest our time, talent, and resources in ways that strengthen the economic, social, and environmental vitality of the area,” says Henry Barzotti, Vice President of the Los Angeles Refinery. “As the refinery transitions into the Five Points Union redevelopment project, we are proud to honor this legacy through our continued commitment to community engagement and outreach in California.”
