Young people are always looking for direction. If responsible, caring individuals do not provide it for them, they will find it somewhere else. As a community, we can not afford to take a chance on the kind of people our children will admire and follow.

The Youth Center welcomes children in our community. Located at the South Side Community Center, it opens at 3:00PM on weekdays during the school year. It is also open on Saturday from 10:00AM to 2:00PM. In addition, we mirror the schedule of the Lafayette School Corporation by opening earlier on early dismissal days. We offer a drop-in program at no charge to youth ages 6 to 18. Young people can play games in the Recreation Room, participate in gym activities, work in the Computer Resource Room, do arts and crafts projects, and more!. Homework assistance is available from the staff and volunteers, including access to resource materials. By keeping our doors open, we provide an opportunity for children of all ages to be part of a positive environment.

Spring Break Camp and Triangle Park Summer Camp are geared to provide quality childcare and positive, FUN experiences for children 5 to 11. Participants are supported in developing positive self-images through recreation, arts and crafts, role modeling and group activities. During summer camp, youth swim twice a week and take a field trip weekly. A sliding fee scale is available for both camps.

Summer Camp was a great success in "05"!! If you are interested in a fun and safe summer program, the CFRC. is the place for your children. Please contact Mike Molohon at 742-5046 for more information.

Teen Court provides teens with the opportunity to learn more about the justice system. Open to 11-17 year olds, Teen Court is a peer sentencing court for youth who have admitted guilt to a crime. They appear in Teen Court to receive their sentence, instead of juvenile court. The court, which meets in a real courtroom in the Tippecanoe County Courthouse, is run by the teen volunteers that decide the "sentence" of the youth offender.

Grassroots Prevention Task Force, which is funded by Indiana Family and Social Services Administration Division of Mental Health and Addictions, is focused on providing research-based programs to reduce the prevalence of alcohol and tobacco use among middle school students. Many area agencies, organizations, and youth are collaborating to implement these programs. Among the projects to be implemented are after school activities for middle school students; Youth as Resources service learning projects; Families And Schools Together in conjunction with Family Services; and Drug Free New Year's Eve party.