Founded as an extension of our Weed and Seed Out-of-School-Time Program, the Teen Connection Program offers FREE afterschool and summer programming for middle school and high school-aged youth grades 6-12.

Our educational and recreational programming is centered around five program areas:

• Fitness and Outdoor Fun—Providing opportunities to move and exercise through team sports, cooperative games, and outdoor adventure activities.
• Education and Technology—Supporting students in their educational goals through homework support, nutrition education, and introduction to computers, gaming, and technology.
• Service and Civic Engagement—Involving teens in service opportunities that benefit their community; helping youth to find and use their voice through community involvement and fostering leadership.
• Prevention and Life Skills—Facilitating teen discussions and educational presentations with guest speakers to promote prevention, teach life skills, and develop communication skills and healthy social behaviors.
• Arts & Culture—Incorporating arts, music, and cultural programming to encourage new experiences through multiple media forms and understanding through exposure to different cultural perspectives.

Educational Opportunities and Community Engagement

Teen Hikes and Outdoor Adventure

Registration

You can register at the following locations during regular business hours:

(Summer Registration will begin Monday May 1, 2023)

Summer Registration:

Registration is available online at www.lascruces.gov/play, then click on "online registration" or at the following locations during regular business hours:

• Parks and Recreation Administrative Office, 1501 E. Hadley Ave., 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday.
• Frank O’Brien Papen Community Center, 304 W. Bell St., 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday.
• Las Cruces Regional Aquatic Center, 1401 E. Hadley Ave., 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday.
• Meerscheidt Recreation Center, 1600 E. Hadley Ave., 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

Program dates and times:
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. June 7 to July 14, 2023.

The Teen Connection program is free and serves youth who will be at the Frank O’Brien Papen Community Center, 304 W. Bell Ave.
 
Grades:
Sixth to 12^th Grade (for the 2022-2023 school year).

No telephone registrations will be accepted. Spots are limited and are on a first-come first serve basis

•   Parks and Recreation Administration Office, 1501 E. Hadley Ave., 8a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday.
•   Frank O’Brien Papen Community Center, 304 W. Bell Ave., 9 a.m. to 5p.m. Monday to Friday.                                                        
•   A. Fielder Memorial Safe Haven, 906 N. Tornillo St., noon to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday 

Questions? Please contact staff at:

 Office: (575) 528-4235 Cell: (575) 339-5286 or email us at teenconnection@las-cruces.org

After School Program Location & Times

• The program is located at Frank O’Brien Papen Community Center, 304 W. Bell Ave. 
• Program hours are 3:30p.m. to 7:15p.m. Monday through Friday and will follow the Las Cruces Public Schools calendar. 
• Special events for teens will be scheduled throughout the school year to provide all community youth an opportunity to attend.

*Pick up of participants from various schools available. Please contact program supervisor at (575) 339-5286 for details. 

*Pick up from program is the responsibility of the parent or guardian.

Field trips and special events such as these may require registration and/or a small fee with limited spaces available.