Mayor’s youth group hosting luau to kick off effort for center
The newly named 2008-09 Benton Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council has chosen a major project: establishing a teen center where teenagers are welcome to visit, listen to music and enjoy each other’s company.
To kick off the endeavor, the group is hosting a luau Friday night at Neptune’s, located behind Harbor Island Miniature Golf in Hickory Square on the north service road of Interstate 30 (near Tinseltown).
Teens ages 15-18 are welcome to attend the event. A cost of $10 will be charged and covers admission, one frozen drink and one food item.
Entertainment will include a rock band game, a live DJ and dance music.
Competitions planned are a limbo contest at 8 p.m.; a hula hoop contest at 9 p.m.; and a costume contest at 10 p.m. Teens are encouraged to wear tropical attire “but no swimsuits,” said one of the group’s adult sponsors, Angela Ross.
Prizes will be a $25 gas card for the winner of the limbo contest; a $15 i-Tunes card for the winner of the hula hoop contest; and a $25 Visa card for the winner of the costume contest.
Ross said a teen center was the “number one need listed when the new members of the group applied for the council.”
“Last year when we were holding public hearings regarding things needed in Benton, this was listed then as a top concern among teenagers,” she added.
“They have had no place to just hang out and visit,” Ross noted. “Many times they have said they get in trouble if they visit on parking lots because they are considered ‘loiterers. They just need a place where they feel welcoome.”
The group set as the objective for the project “to provide a safe time and place of fun and socializing for teens in our community,” she said.
Overall goals are:
•To establish a permanent place for the youth of the community to gather for fun and socializing on a regular basis.
•To create an atmosphere in which the youth have input and will reflect a positive image to the community.
•To provide a venue for talent in the community to entertain and possibly participate in competitions.
The youth council recently met with the owner of Neptune’s, Robert Shell, who wants to assist the council in establishing the center, Ross said.
“We are so excited about this,” she said. “We hope this will turn out to be a really great place for the kids.”
Current plans call for holding a monthly activity at Neptune’s, she said.
Palm trees and tiki torches will be in place to line the walkway to the front door of Neptune’s on Friday night, Ross noted.
The newly organized council includes:
•Jordan Barnes, Bo Baxley, Jordan Benedict, Hannah Bethel, Jordan Betts, Abbey Brannon, Shelby Brooks, Bryce Carlton, Jordan Fletcher.
•Carly Glover, Parker Hale, Jase Hanig, Taylor Harrington, Katie Holland, Rusty Jackson, Caitlin Jones, Laura Beth Kordsmeier.
•Devan Malone, Molly Moore, Andrew Nolley, Hannah Pinkerton, Brittany Ponder, Shelby Poole, Kaleb Prothro, Catherine Reid.
•Kate Ross, Doyle Shelnutt IV, Kayla Shirey, Alexandrea Songer, Jessica Stonesifer, Katy Stracener, Blake Ulmer and Haley Yarberry.
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