Teen Center’s 'Membership Month' Welcomes New Students & Families

ORLAND PARK, IL - The Bridge Teen Center invites new teens and their families to attend “May Membership Month” during the month of May at their facility located at 15555 S. 71st Ct., in Orland Park. This is open to families with students entering 7th-12th grade in the fall.

May Membership Month is designed for NEW students and their families, especially current 6th graders going into 7th grade in the fall. This intimate family experience will provide students and their individual families the opportunity to tour The Bridge Teen Center’s space, meet the team, and learn how to maximize their FREE membership.

“May will be an exciting time for The Bridge because it will give hundreds of new students the opportunity to become part of The Bridge family - and look forward to the free programs and events taking place this summer and beyond,” said Priscilla Steinmetz, Founder of The Bridge. “In many cases, it’s truly the beginning of what will become a major influence in their lives.”

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, The Bridge Teen Center would host a one-day “Open House & New Student Orientation” in early June that would draw nearly 300+ teens and their families. However, May Membership Month was created to limit large crowds and keep students and their families safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The summer is historically the most popular time for students to participate in The Bridge’s free programs and events. This summer, over 100 programs have been planned with COVID-19 safety in mind. Offerings include free art programs, music lessons, culinary programs, hangout time in The Bridge’s video gaming area, and much more. A complete Summer Program Magazine will be available beginning Monday, May 17th on their website.

The Bridge will also reintroduce their highly anticipated Friday night events that were temporarily suspended during the COVID-19 state lockdowns. Friday night events in the summer months typically include music, themes, free food and outdoor fun & games. New this summer, The Bridge will unveil their new outdoor patio space for students to enjoy. The very first Friday Night Live event will take place on Friday, June 11th and occur every other Friday from 7:30pm - 10:30pm. To adhere to health safety guidelines, student members will be required to sign up online in advance in order to attend.

Membership is open to students who will be in 7th-12th grade in the fall. This includes those students currently in 6th grade who will be entering 7th grade in the fall. All teens and families that are interested in joining The Bridge are required to complete a Student Membership Application (SMA) online. To make the most of their Bridge membership, families are strongly encouraged to also schedule a 20-30 minute family tour at thebridgeteencenter.org.
Families may also call 708.532.0500 for more information.

May Membership Month family tours are not mandatory but strongly encouraged in order to maximize a student’s membership. Students and families that schedule a tour will receive a special “Welcome Gift” which will include a Summer Program Magazine - a student’s guide to summer programs. Online sign-up for summer programs begin on their website on Monday, May 24th at 2:00pm for all Bridge student members.

The Bridge Teen Center is a nationally-recognized nonprofit community center that is designed around the needs and interests of teens in the suburbs. The Bridge provides free holistically-designed after school programs and a safe environment for Friday night entertainment. To date, over 10,000 unique students from 128 different communities have been served by The Bridge. 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, visit www.thebridgeteencenter.org or call 708.532.0500.

The news release was submitted by the Bridge Teen Center.

Like what you're reading? Invite a friend to subscribe to free Orland Park Patch newsletters and real-time email alerts.