High Rocks’ Has Grand Opening of Teen Center “The Hub” in Lewisburg

How many times have you heard people complain that there are no special places for teenagers go in the area? Well, High Rocks Educational Corporation has accepted that challenge and held the Grand Opening of “The Hub” in Lewisburg on Wednesday, December 16, 2015. We were there.

The Hub is a teen café’ located in a building at the Montwell Park, the site of the old Fort Savannah Inn, on your left just as you come into Lewisburg if you are travelling South from Pocahontas County on U.S. 219.

Although the Hub features a smoothie bar and food for as well as music and entertainment for teens, it also provides homework help – students at the Osteopathic School volunteer to help students with homework – as well as a protected Wi-Fi computer lab and art supplies. Its goal is to provide a safe place where teens can make themselves at home.

The Hub also hires teens to help at the Hub.. We spoke to three of these teens and with one volunteer teen who hopes to be working there soon.

First up is Maya Coleman, a high school student who talks about events at the Hub.

“We have Music Day Tuesdays” said Maya. “Wednesdays are meetings for the employees. Thursdays there isn’t really anything specific, same with Mondays. Fridays we have Karaoke Night and performances from anyone who wants to perform.”

Another student employee, Mable Eisenveiss, tells how she came to be involved with the Hub.

“I remember Sarah Riley, the Director of High Rocks; she took me in here during one of the overnights and I saw the place before it had anything while they were still painting the walls and such. It was very barren” said Mable. “And it’s just so great to see it come such a long way from nothing to now having a smoothie bar and a cool place for students to come and hangout and have homework help and we have a lot of board games and there’s a WII and we have computers available and there’s music and instruments and we also have also have a smoothie bar and if they are hungry they can get something to eat.”

William Sarver, a middle school student tells us about how he started coming to the Hub, and has applied for a job there.

“The reason I got involved in the Hub was that on a First Friday, my friends told me about this place and they told me I should go” said William. “And I decided, why not and I came down here and there was a big thing going on and I was like, maybe I should come here and have fun, but then I thought I could go almost every day and do my homework because I don’t work here, so I thought I could come here and probably do my homework, finish all the stuff I need to do and have some fun after, playing WII or a board game with some of my friends or get on the internet and check social media. I do not work at the Hub but I am seeing if I could work there because I applied for a job there but they’re checking to see if I should have the job- which I hope I do.”

Next we spoke to Grace Harbert, a student at Greenbrier East High School who tells about how she began at the Hub.

“I work behind the smoothie bar and I make food for people and I help decorate things and clean-up and just help out however I can” said Grace. “I first came to the Hub because I am a part of High Rocks and everybody there was like ‘hay you should check this place out, it’s actually pretty cool’ so I came and it was pretty cool. And so I started coming more and more before we had our grand opening tonight and I just really enjoyed it, so I applied and I got a job. I would definitely recommend it for everybody. It is a safe and welcoming and open space for everyone.”

Britt Huerta, the Program Coordinator for the Hub moved to Lewisburg recently from Hillsboro. She wanted to let the residents of Pocahontas County know that the Hub considers them part of its community. She suggested that families coming from Pocahontas County for shopping or appointments, they can leave their teens at the Hub and know they will be in a safe, productive and educational environment. Britt talks about the homework program.

“So every day when a student walks in we ask ‘how’s your day, do you have any homework?’” said Britt. “If they do have homework, we do have homework help, we actually have volunteers from the “O” (Osteopathic) School that come in 3 days a week so if they are really struggling in Math or Science or English they can work with an “O” student one on one”

There is no charge for teens to use the Hub, and hopefully it will fill a need for our teenagers and their parents.