King County Journal: Friday, Oct. 13, 2006

Springwood Youth Center has kids 'beyond excited'

$3 million facility featuers gymnasium, computer labs, after-school program

By Bruce Rommel
Journal Reporter

KENT -- Kids already are flocking to the new Springwood Youth Center at the Springwood housing complex.

A gymnasium, computer labs and game rooms are the major draws to the new $3 million center, which hosts after-school and summer programs for children living in public housing complexes on East Hill.

Beginning Oct. 18, the new center also will be open weekday and Saturday evenings to East Hill students in grades 7-12 for the Lighthouse activities program sponsored by Kent Youth & Family Services.

The center will be dedicated in ceremonies today. But it's been open since Oct. 6 and has been drawing between 100 and 200 kids daily for the after-school program.

"As soon as kids get off the school buses and home, they head for the center," said Michael Heinisch, executive director of Kent Youth & Family Services.

"They are beyond excited about this place," Heinisch said.

The old center was a concrete block box with little more than a few activity rooms. It still drew about 25,000 visits from children and teens annually. The number of visits is expected to jump with the new gym, computer labs and other attractions.

Kent Youth & Family Services operates the after-school programs there. KY&FS staff and others also provide computer lessons and offer a "homework club" with tutoring.

The after-school program is open to children from the Springwood, Valli Kee and Cascade housing complexes operated by the King County Housing Authority for low-income families. The three complexes have 537 family apartments with about 2,000 residents, half of whom are 17 or younger.

KY&FS also sponsors the Lighthouse programs at several East Hill schools and the new center, which are open to all area students in grades 7-12. The program offers supervised activities during early evening hours.

Ceremonies for New Youth Center

The public is invited to a ribbon-cutting and opening celebration at 11:30 a.m. today for the new Springwood Youth Center, 12910 S.E. 273rd St.

U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert, who helped obtain federal grant funding, is expected to attend along with Kent Mayor Suzette Cooke and other local officials.

Special guests will include former Seattle SuperSonics player James Donaldson, and June Daugherty, head coach of the University of Washington's women's basketball team.