TRG REALITY

This is a photo of the Wadsworth Public Library. It is offering a variety of programs for teenagers who are interested. Photo courtesy of Nicole Morris

The Wadsworth Public Library hosts multiple teen programs and volunteering opportunities throughout the school year to give students volunteer hours and general community help. 

One volunteer program is called Volunteens, where teenagers engage in a variety of activities monthly on Saturdays. On October 16, there will be an opportunity to decorate pumpkins from 4-8 pm before Scare on the Square. Teenagers can stay for however long they would like. There is also an opportunity on November 2 to craft for the Candlelight Walk.

“We came up with the idea to start the Volunteen program because we often had students asking to do service hours at the Library,” said Nicole Moore, the Deputy Director at the library.

Book Buddies is a new monthly program where teenagers become reading models for young children. Training for Bookbuddies was September 21 at 1 pm, where teenagers learned how to be a reading model, pick up books, read to kids, and encourage reading. 

Book Buddies is also a monthly program that runs for an hour.

“We are looking for people who can come in on Saturdays and also commit to coming to the training,” said Melissa Wagner, the manager of Children’s Youth & Outreach Services at the library.

These programs run through the rest of the school year and the library hosts other productions during the summer, as well.

High schoolers can participate in a reading challenge called “100 Books Before Graduation” in which students can receive a $20 gift card.

ACT prep courses and practice tests are also available. On October 19, the library is hosting a simulated three-hour practice test with an overall exam review session before this date.

There is a Dungeons and Dragons Program as well as a puzzle race coming up on October 5 for those who want to form teams and race to finish a jigsaw puzzle.

The library would like to expand these programs if there is more regular involvement in current offerings.

“We hope that our new Book Buddies program and our other Volunteen opportunities will garner enough interest so we can continue to grow this program and collaborate with other local organizations for service projects,” Moore said.

More information is available on the Wadsworth Public Library website.