Orland Park's Bridge Teen Center Hosting Month-Long Membership Event

ORLAND PARK, IL — May will mark the 3rd annual "May Membership Month" at The Bridge Teen Center, located at 15555 S. 71st Court in Orland Park. The month-long event will provide local teens and families the opportunity to tour the center’s 9,600-square-foot facility, meet the staff, learn about 350+ free holistic year-round programs, and learn how to get the most out of their free membership.

“This is our favorite time of the year as we get to welcome hundreds of new students, meet their families, and introduce them to all the amazing things we offer at no cost all year long,” said Priscilla Steinmetz, Founder of The Bridge Teen Center. “In many cases, this represents the beginning of what will become a major influence in their lives.”

May Membership Month is the precursor to The Bridge’s summer semester that offers over 120+ programs and events from June through August. This includes art programs, music lessons, culinary programs, trades-focused programs, hangout events and more. A Summer Program Magazine with all the details will be available Friday, May 12th at www.thebridgeteencenter.org. Online sign-up begins on Wednesday, May 24th at 2:00pm, also online.

The Bridge Teen Center will continue hosting their infamous Friday night events for teens throughout the summer. Friday night events are scheduled every other week between 7:30 and 10:30pm, and typically include live music, karaoke, free food samples from local restaurants, outdoor fun and more. The first Friday night event of the summer will take place on June 2nd. Advance sign up is not required for Friday Nights, however, an approved student membership is required. Like all Bridge programs, Friday night events are free of charge.

The Bridge also offers students job readiness training opportunities through the organization’s "Thriftastic" job readiness program that takes place year-round in partnership with The Bridge Thrift Store. "Thriftastic" students commit to a set weekly schedule and meet individually with Bridge staff for self evaluation using The Bridge’s proprietary curriculum. Space is limited in this program, and applications are currently being accepted for the summer semester at www.thebridgeteencenter.org/volunteer/job-readiness.

Membership is open, free of charge, to students who will be in 7th-12th grade in the fall. This includes current 6th graders going into 7th grade. All teens and families that are interested in joining The Bridge are required to complete a Students Membership Application online. Families are strongly encouraged to schedule a 20-30 minute “family tour” in May to make the most of their Bridge membership. Tours can be scheduled online at thebridgeteencenter.org and all who attend will receive a special "Welcome Kit."

The Bridge Teen Center is a nationally recognized nonprofit community center that is designed around the needs and interests of teens in the suburbs, providing free holistically-designed afterschool programs and a safe environment for Friday night entertainment. Over 11,700+ different students from 128 different communities have been served by The Bridge since 2010. The Bridge is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors and is funded by individuals, businesses, and foundations in the community. For more information about The Bridge Teen Center’s free programs and events, visit www.thebridgeteencenter.org or call 708-532-0500.