Community Builder
by Nell Timmer
On a beautiful, early fall day I sat down in the playground of the Beacon Community Center to talk with Michelle Rhone-Collins, the new director, about the past, present and future of the center.
ET: So, you are the new director of the Beacon Community Center. What is this place?
MR-C: Well, it is a wonderful facility with different activities for, primarily, right now, young people—for their out-of-school time—and older adults. So, we are open every day after school for kids to come by and participate in some academic enrichment activities and some arts and recreational activities. And a couple of mornings a week there is time for older adults to come by and take yoga, exercise classes, art classes, and workshops. Part of my work as the new director is to broaden the scope of programming so that we can include more activities for toddlers, parent support groups, especially for new parents. That was something that was very helpful for me as a new mother. I would also like to see some adult workshops in areas that folks are interested in, from budgeting to gift wrapping. And, some more comprehensive programming for teens as well.
ET: How long has the Beacon Community Center been in existence?
MR-C: It has been in existence for over 40 years, since 1965. Families have attended the BCC for generations yet there are many people who are not aware of its existence or its location. I want that to change and for people to see this as a really active resource for the community.
ET: I saw a sign on the door that there is a teen night on the second and fourth Fridays of the month. How is that attended?
MR-C: Yes, we also have a drop in center for teens that meets from 7-11PM every other Friday in the evening and teen basketball programs on Wednesday and Thursday evenings from 6-9PM. Actually, I have not seen the program in action yet. But, from what I understand groups of about 24 kids come in. They have a safe place to hang out— unstructured chill time for them, with supervision. So, when I say more comprehensive programs I mean being able to offer them cultural programs that they will be interested in like utilizing the elements of Hip Hop ( rap, grafitti, breakdancing, and DJ’ing) as a way for them to express their thoughts about their world and their place in it. I would like to incorporate some academic enrichment for them as well so that they can prepare for their post secondary experiences. Maybe even having some male and female empowerment groups. So much is needed for teens in this community. The other day I was talking to a group of young people that were hanging out by the center and asking them what they might want to do in here. First they asked if there were any jobs available. When I let them know about age limits and funding limitations, they expressed that they just wanted something to do, even if it wasn’t paid.
ET: Are there rooms inside this facility that are geared toward different types of activities?
MR-C: There is an activity room and there is a recreation room. A lot of different activities can happen in those spaces, but there aren’t any studio spaces that are geared for more specific activity, which is one of the challenges actually, because when kids are finished with homework, they move on to something that is more fun---not that homework isn’t fun, of course---and there are still kids in the space working on homework. There’s not really a small, quiet space where those kids can be. There are these great, big rooms, but not smaller activity rooms.
ET: So, the younger children that come for after-school programs are being helped with their homework as well as having some play time?
MR-C: Right, exactly. After they do their homework with our counselors who are primarily college students who are majoring in education and human services, they have scheduled activities including computer time, arts, dance, and time on the playground. They can also participate in yoga workshops, theater and acting classes, creative movement, violin lessons, and environmental education workshops offered by Stonykill Farms Education department and the Green Teens.
ET: And how late do the after-school programs run?
MR-C: The program is open from 3 to 6 p.m. every day.
ET: And is that something that is provided by the town or is it something provided on a fee basis?
MR-C: It is provided by the Community Center. We ask the parents to donate an amount for the program that helps to provide the supplies and the snacks. The Community Center is not a municipal facility; however, the City does provide some funding for some of its activities through the Recreation Department.
ET: And where does the additional funding for the Beacon Community Center come from?
MR-C: Funding comes from government grants and we receive some funding from the Dyson Foundation. Some of our activities are sponsored by the city through the Beacon Recreation Department. They actually sponsor the Teen Drop-In Center and some of the Senior Programs. And the rest is fees and family contributions. The donations are not extra, they are really integral to our programming needs. Another of my priorities is to increase the diversity of our funding including more foundation support so that we can offer high quality activities at a low or no cost.
ET: How many kids are involved in the after-school program?
MR-C: There are 63 kids involved in the after-school at the Community Center. We have between 50 and 60 children here on a daily basis for programs, so I would say it is a very well-attended program. And there is another after-school program that operates out of J.V. Forrestal Elementary School that has 15 children enrolled. I would love to beef up the enrollment over there because it is also a fantastic program with wonderful staff and activities.
ET: And is that pulling from all of the elementary schools and the middle school?
MR-C: The JV Forrestal program serves kids from Forrestal. The program at the Community Center draws from all the elementary schools. And it is open to middle school kids although we don’t have a lot of enrollment from middle school age children. The majority of kids are coming from South Avenue School because of its proximity. And we have kids coming not just from Beacon, but from neighboring communities.
ET: Do they all get bussed by their school?
MR-C: Exactly.
ET: So, I know you have only been here for a few weeks, but I am sure your brain must be spinning. What are your dreams for this place?
MR-C: Ah, dreams…one is wanting to beautify the space to make it look
more welcoming. I feel like there are a lot of skilled folk in the
community that could lend their expertise and very quickly make this
place look different…more warm, more colorful. And also, in a creative
way, be open to all the populations who could use it. So, comfy for a
toddler to be in or for an adult to be in or for a group of teens to be
in. And then, also, to having the artists in the community involved
providing programming and services here so that there are a lot of
things going on all the time.
I would like to diversify our sources of funding so that we
wouldn’t have to rely on fees or family donations so much. I would like
to increase the visibility of the community center by offering more
activities for all age groupings. I feel like there is, or there can
be, a tension between old and new in Beacon. I would like the community
center to really be a picture of Beacon’s vibrant community--a space
where everyone in the community feels welcome, no matter how long you
have been here. Basically, a place that everybody is happy to be at and
utilize to its fullest capacity.
ET: Do you have any new programs in the works?
MR-C: Well, I am working on some ideas for some dramatic programming with Daphne Richards and Edwin Lee Gibson of Thespus Brown. I am excited about the prospect of an intergenerational project being developed with Daphne Richards has a that will include young women and older women in a performance of for colored girls who sing the blues when the rainbow is enuf by ntozake shange. The performers could be mothers and daughters or grandmothers and granddaughters, or all three generations. Edwin Lee Gibson (recipient of an Obie Award for his performance of Oedipus Rex in the Seven written by Beacon’s own Will Power) will be offering acting workshops for youth and adults. We are not playing…there are some brilliant, talented and dedicated individuals who are already involved in providing programming here. Gwen Laster, an inspired violin player who has accompanied Aretha Franklin and Alicia Keys to name a few. Our dance instructor has been in several Broadway productions. I have to name drop because I just feel that the kids are really lucky to be exposed to such skilled artists and instructors who are also great educators. The two don’t necessarily go hand in hand.
ET: Do you envision having performances here?
MR-C: Yes, absolutely. I would love to do that. I would love to showcase the work the kids are doing here by having them give performances or art exhibitions. I would also love to host performances and community events here. The more community celebrations the better!
ET: What are your ideas for getting the word out about this place? Do you currently send out a brochure about your programs through the schools?
MR-C: What happens is that there are flyers sent out through the schools, but I would like to have more information out around town on the Main Street area, in the businesses that people visit. And I would like to develop a web-site as well. We don’t have anything on the web. I think that that would be very useful. We rely on flyers whenever we have an event. It would be nice to have a brochure for people to look at to see exactly what the scope of our programming is in one place.
ET: What do you need most here?
MR-C: Besides money, volunteers!! This place has a lot of great potential, but it can’t truly be a community center without community involvement. We could really use some hands-on help to implement some of the positive changes I think we can make.
ET: This playground is pretty quiet. It would be nice to come back here in a year and hear the sounds of a lot of little voices.
MR-C: I totally agree. I think the potential of this space is really amazing.
The Beacon Community Center is located at 23 West Center Street in Beacon. Michelle Rhone-Collins can be reached at 831-6180.
Yeah, this area deserves to have incredible programs like this one. I hope all the people who are "upset" by artisits moving in realize that not only do artists juggle several jobs to keep doing what they love (and are way under paid for), they continually give back to society. True artists do and that is what Beacon is made of. Thanks you all.
Posted by: YEAH | October 23, 2006 at 09:03 PM