Changes in economic structure, global competition, and technical revolution require new workforce skills, yet significant skill gaps exist for many people, particularly those without college degrees. Many families who are served by HCLS’ East Columbia Branch attend schools where 37% of students are eligible for free and reduced meals. Teens have requested events that are rooted in cosmetology, barbering, and visual art; that enable them learn from entrepreneurs who represent and look like them; that help prepare them to take the SAT, research colleges, pay for college, and develop college planning checklists. These families may not have the means to take their students on college and/or military visits, the time to untangle the financial aid web, or the confidence they can adequately help their “first in the family” attend college. Many of these teens also express a desire to be entrepreneurs in STEAM careers.

Building Better Worlds-Teens enabled the Library to learn what skills the teens in our community already have and pilot activities and events that encouraged them to share their aspirations and ideas. The programming was developed in response to requests from teens. The series of events saw an average of 50 teens coming to the library every day for special events and solidified it as a place where they belong, and where their ideas for programming and activities is implemented. Teens were mentored and given exposure to entrepreneurial skills, various STEAM careers through presentations and demonstrations by guest speakers, and colleges and armed forces organizations and supports to pursue higher education and professional careers. Putting their new entrepreneurial skills to use, teens developed logos, designs and presentation materials for their project ideas entered in a pitch contest.

The East Columbia Branch has dedicated teen space where teens’ values, interests, and aspirations inform activities. These activities developed entrepreneurial skills for nontraditional careers and built awareness, mentorship, and supports for the 360 teens reached through the initiative to pursue entrepreneurial, college, armed forces, apprenticeship and trade opportunities. The TeenPreneur Club taught skills such as logo concepts and design, vision statements, presentation and clarification of community-based project ideas. The principal from a neighboring middle school noted, “You've created a place for the teens where relationships have been built. This is what they need.”