There is a different kind of energy at the Boothbay Region YMCA when the school bell rings. 

With school back in session, we are excited to welcome our middle and high school students back to the Y. In the afternoons, you’ll find teens shooting hoops, catching up with friends, talking with staff, grabbing a snack, or simply finding a comfortable place to land at the end of the school day. 

And that is exactly what we want this Y to be. 

For many of our teens, walking across the street to the Y after school is an important step toward independence. They get to decide how to spend their afternoon, who to spend it with, and what they want to do—all within a place where they are known, welcomed, and supported. 

As the Y’s new CEO, I am still discovering all the ways this special place serves as an anchor in the lives of our young people. I could tell you why I think that matters, but our teens say it so much better. 

“I’m glad to come back to play basketball and to see Adam and Trevor,” said Myles Tilton. 

“It’s a safe, fun place to hang out!” said Eli Hyson. 

Jace Morton is “excited about seeing all the staff and friends and doing basketball and talking fishing with Adam.” 

And Mackenzie Brewer is looking forward to a little friendly competition: “I get to practice basketball outside of normal practice. I get to hang out while shooting and play against the boys.” 

I love their answers because, underneath the basketball, fishing, and hanging out, they are telling us something important. 

They are talking about belonging. 

They are talking about having a place where someone knows their name and notices when they walk through the door. They are talking about friendships and knowing trusted adults. They are talking about having a little freedom while still being surrounded by people who care about them. 

Adam Taylor, Youth Program Coordinator at the Y, is one of the staff members our teens have come to know and trust. Adam understands the responsibility that comes with creating this environment. 

“The importance of kids having a space where they feel welcomed and safe can’t be overstated,” Adam shared. “For a lot of these kids, it’s their first taste of freedom—being able to come across the street to the Y after school. It’s important that our staff demonstrate what it means to be good role models, and we don’t take that lightly.” 

Adam also pointed out something that I have come to appreciate very quickly about Boothbay. 

“They say it takes a village, and in a small town like Boothbay, I like to think the Y is doing its part to help that village.” 

He’s right. 

One of the things that has impressed me most since arriving here is the way this community shows up for one another. Our Y is just one piece of that village, but we have an important role to play—particularly for young people. 

Sometimes playing that role looks like being a trusted adult with a listening ear. Sometimes it looks like giving a young person space to figure out who they are. Sometimes it looks like putting two canoes in a swimming pool and telling teenagers to try to sink each other. 

Yes, you read that correctly. 

“Battleships” will pit two teams against each other, each in a canoe with a single bucket. The objective is to fill the opposing canoe with water while desperately trying to bail out your own. I suspect there will be a lot of laughter involved. 

It is just one of the things our team has planned this year. 

Monthly teen dances are returning, with dates intentionally flexible so we can work around school activities and give as many students as possible the chance to participate. We’re also planning laser tag in the gym, floor hockey tournaments, chess club, carnival games, a Kids vs. Adults Trivia Night, and watch parties where we project big sporting events onto the gym wall. 

We’ll even have a 3-on-3 basketball league played on seven-foot hoops—because basketball is considerably more fun when everyone gets a chance to dunk. 

It all sounds like fun, and it should be. 

But there is intention behind the fun. 

Every game, dance, ridiculous canoe battle, and conversation on the basketball court is another opportunity for a young person to connect—with a friend, with a caring adult, and with their community. 

Growing up isn’t easy, and young people need places where they can simply show up. They need opportunities to test their independence while knowing someone is still looking out for them. They need adults who will listen, laugh with them, challenge them, and model what it means to be part of a community. 

Most of all, they need to know there is a place where they are wanted. 

To our middle and high school students: Welcome back. We missed your energy, your basketball games, your conversations, your laughter—and yes, even your noise. 

This is your Y. You belong here. We are really glad you’re back.