Paul Eley, Boss-man and Resident Magician

Howdy folks!

I doubt it, but some of you may be wondering what the heck is up with this website.

‘Why are the updates so infrequent?’

‘Why is so much of the information outdated?’

The people want to know!!! (Hi people… Are you out there?)

Well, if you’re listening, I’m here to tell you! There’s a new sheriff in town! I’m here to whip this website into shape! We’re talking updates, pertinent information, goofy pictures, CONTENT!

Fasten your seatbelts!!

We’re starting another round of PREP (Personal Responsibility Education Program) very soon – please help us get the word out!

The Basement Teen Center, underneath City Hall, will be holding four weeks of its Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP) Course starting on September 5. The course is for people age 13 and over. The course, held from 4:30-6 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from the 5th until the 28th, is funded by the VT Dept. of Health and VT Dept. of Education and works to equip young people with the skills they need to be personally responsible when it comes to dating and sex. We discuss some classic sex-ed topics as well as healthy relationships and dating, delay and refusal skills in regards to sex, that most teens choose abstinence, and teaching the use of contraceptives to reduce the risk of HIV, STD, and unplanned pregnancies.

Please print and fill out the permission form below, or come to the Basement Teen Center any day between 2 and 6 to fill one out.  Thanks!

PREP permission september17

Please help spread the word about this valuable course. Teens that complete the course will receive a $100 stipend at the end, and we’ll provide snacks every class session as well. Parents/guardians do need to sign a permission form before the first day of class and register their teen by emailing me at peley@wcysb.org.

Dear Montpelier Community and Beyond,

Please consider this letter your opportunity to become a member of the Basement Teen Center of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We invite YOU and 3 friends to overcome 10 wizard-themed challenges strategically placed throughout Montpelier, using only the magic of your brain and body. The event will take place on June 24, 2017 at 10am, beginning at City Hall in Montpelier, so dress up in your best robes or wizard-esq gear. We challenge you and your team to raise $100 or more to benefit the Center (This is our only fundraiser!!). There will be many prizes given to the participating witches and wizards at the end of the challenge course, and a magical prize for the team who raises the most money. If you choose to join us, either as a team or a volunteer, please, first email the staff at btcamazingrace@wcysb.org; they will help you sign up and fundraise at crowdrise.com/btcamazingrace2017

If you are unable to join us, donations are always GREATLY appreciated. They keep food and programming free (including field trips!!)! You can donate by clicking HERE! 

 Yours Most Sincerely,

BTC Staff

*If you have any questions or concerns, please email Paul Eley at btcamazingrace@wcysb.org or call (802)229-9151

We are starting another PREP (Personal Responsibility Education Program) course next week beginning January 31 and running until February 22, 2017. The class allows us to facilitate discussions and teach consent, different forms of birth control, basic anatomy, and more in a safe, open environment. It will be held in the Basement Teen Center located underneath City Hall in Montpelier on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 4:30-6:00. We will provide snacks and $100 to any youth who completes the course! If you are interested in attending or having your child attend, please let us know by January 30, 2017 at 3pm, so we can get the proper amount of materials!

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the BTC Director, Paul Eley, by email at peley@wcysb.org or by phone at 229-9151 x 311.

For more details and a permission slip, please click on the link below.

prep-permission-form-1-31-17

(this is an updated version of the permission slip!)

Happy Holidays from everyone here at the BTC!

Last week, we celebrated “Teensgiving” at the teen center and had a pretty great turn out (there were only a few leftovers!). The AmeriCorps members, Kayla and Amanda, and their lovely supervisor, Paul, worked hard all morning and afternoon on Tuesday before Thanksgiving to put together the meal which ranged from ham to mashed potatoes to Polish broccoli. Before the meal, each teen and adult shared what they were thankful for which could be explained no other way but a humbling experience. Many of the youth expressed gratitude for the BTC and the people who worked there everyday. Some thanked us for keeping the space open and accepting as well as safe. None of these words were prompted, which made them all the more special and heartwarming, especially for the staff.

It is now December 1, and the holiday push is officially in full swing. We got a head start by making mason jar crafts with the youth yesterday which will continue throughout the remainder of the week for the youth who are interested! There will be a new craft/gift making opportunity available weekly at the BTC for the rest of December. Of course, none of this would be possible without the wonderful and generous Montpelier community who donated all of the supplies from jars and glasses, all the way down to beads and buttons! It really wouldn’t have been possible without them!

One final announcement, the Boys and Girls Clubs of America are having an Art Contest and asked us to submit a piece of artwork made by our youth, so we are going to first, have our own contest down at the BTC! All submissions are due by January 4, 2017, to a BTC staff member, they will then be hung and voted on (through a number system) of whose art should go onto the BGCA Art Competition on January 30th with the possibility of moving onto the National Competition! Let us know if you have any further questions!

Enjoy the holidays!