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Teen Presentaion A Los Gatos COMMUNITY CENTER MEI Campaign Teen Needs Assessment ,.„,•:,..,Q,, ..-..,,.,, ,- , -.4, .. •, i- Ti.;;, ' I IT,: -.'-'7. ii:::_irt',..:,.1...*:7 1 itri' : ezair.t.-.r, 1 , . . t.,, _ .. .,..„4.-., .. _ -_-_ -_--- --,0! . ...3- _11., ,. ...,:c.:4,1., . , ,. _: - .i-`4-j. - - ;*4'-';'' ii- ,_,,, ,, 1 i. - • e ;. � t F ir 1 1 . - ■ - � - t 1 , - "6 r -� - � � . .1 i i - - I . ,/ 4 ., .., -t 1 . ♦fir• / ----; ; —_. --'' 4! . yy1 \ ____ \ A supplement to the 2024 Community Needs Assessment by The Los Gatos Thrives Foundation February 2026 Los Gatos Community Center Campaign Teen Needs Assessment LGCommunityCenter.org Los Gatos Thrives Foundation Our mission is to make Los Gatos an age-friendly community where everyone thrives. Los Gatos Thrives is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Los Gatos Thrives 2 The Los Gatos Community Center Campaign wishes to acknowledge and thank all who contributed to this report: Los Gatos Thrives Foundation President Tom Picraux Los Gatos Community Center Campaign Chair Ryan Rosenberg Los Gatos Communication Committee Eleanor Yick(Chair); Lynn Dowling Bruno(Editor);and Ava Li (Graphic Design/Layout) Los Gatos High School Community Center Teen Club `- Tanner Goulden(President);Noam Ramon(Vice President); members Heerad Amini, Owen Campbell,Otis Peak,Arnav Singhai,and Brandon Wong Los Gatos Saratoga Recreation Nancy Rollett,Emily Sprugasci,Al Minor Los Gatos Library Director Ryan Baker Community Members LGHS Principal Dave Poetzinger,Fisher Middle School Principal Mary Lonhart, Parent Groups at Los Gatos High School and Fisher Middle School,Kylie Clark, and Erica Weinstein 3 Los Gatos ■ ■ ■ i ■ ■ ■ -- COMMUNITY CENTER Campaign A project of the Los Gatos Thrives Foundation Table of Contents Topic Page Executive Summary 5 1.Introduction 6 2.LGHS Focus Group Method and Findings 6 3.LGHS Community Center Club Survey and Findings 8 4.Parent Focus Group Findings 11 5.Middle School Focus Group Method and Findings 11 6.Perspectives from Around Town 12 7.Why Intergenerational Matters 13 8.Teen Spaces in Other Local Communities 14 9.Conclusion 15 4 Executive Summary The Los Gatos Thrives Foundation is championing the building of a new,modern inter- generational community center for the Town of Los Gatos.In our 2024 Community Needs As- sessment,adults aged 19-59,who responded to our Town survey,identified space for teens as a top priority. To engage directly with teens,the Foundation then conducted a teen focus group.Focus group participants were so excited by the prospect of a new community center that they formed a Community Center Club at Los Gatos High School to inform and mobilize their peers at LGHS. The Club has since engaged with the Foundation to conduct a peer survey,a parent workshop at LGHS,and a survey of students at Fisher Middle School.Foundation leaders visited neighboring teen centers and compiled nationwide research on the benefits of intergeneration- "" al facilities and programming to teens. Key Findings • Teens crave a"third space:'They say Los Gatos lacks spaces that are welcoming,safe, engaging,and affordable,and they want somewhere besides school and home where they can hang out and do activities. • They want to eat and play:While their wish list for the facility overlaps with adults in many areas,they showed a stronger desire for spaces for physical activity and food service. • Accessibility matters.A majority say walking or biking would be their primary means of travel to the center. • Inclusion drives engagement. Including teens in facility planning and programming is an important community-building opportunity. • Intergenerational matters. Research suggests regular interaction with adults in the community yields social,academic,psychological,and physical benefits. 5 1. Introduction During its extensive 2024 needs assessment,the Los Gatos Thrives Foundation deter- mined adult residents'priorities for a new Community Center through a multi-pronged approach that included. • Visits to neighboring Community Centers • A mail-in survey of Los Gatos residents • Two 100-person focus group workshops • Feedback from the Town Council Based on those findings,the Foundation drew up a list of the types of spaces desired,the approximate square footage of each,and an estimate for the overall size of the building and grounds. However,when our Community Needs Assessment report was issued on December 14, 2024,we had limited data and insights for residents under the age of 20.Since a teen room was listed as one of the top ten most desired spaces by adults,the Foundation undertook a similar initiative to hear directly from teens what they would want in a center. This report adds additional data gathered from: • A LGHS student focus group • A survey of 281 LGHS students • A LGHS parent workshop • A Fisher Middle School student focus group • Insights from non-profits supporting shared site programs • Visits to teen facilities in neighboring communities 2. LGHS Student Focus Group Methodology and Findings To learn the perspectives and desires of the teen community,in August 2024,Erica Wein- stein,a recent LGHS graduate,and Kylie Clark,a Los Gatos resident with a background in social science research,organized a focus group of 11 LGHS students representing all grade levels. Ouestions asked included: • Where do you and your friends hang out? • If Los Gatos had a community center,do you think you would spend time there?Why or why not? 6 • What would make you more likely to spend time at the community center? • What are some of the main things you'd like to see in a teen center? • What spaces,opportunities,or amenities are currently lacking for teens in our area? • Are you in any clubs at your school? If so,do you think the community center could provide space/services for your club? • Would it be important to you that teens have their own space,separate from adults? • Would you want opportunities for intergenerational interactions? Although many participants were initially unfamiliar with the concept of a community center,once it was explained,it sparked enthusiasm and ideas. Participants shared that; • There is a lack of inexpensive activities for teens in town that do not require driving. • Teens don't have spaces in Los Gatos to just exist"and don't feel prioritized by the Town. • Active involvement is essential for teens to be engaged with the project. • They see community center planning as an opportunity to give teens a stronger voice in the Town. • Participants didn't feel a strong need for a space separate from adults.They felt a shared space,such as a game room,could be used by teens after school and adults at other times. • They agreed that intergenerational interactions are important and expressed interest in service opportunities related to such activities. • Location matters. The group had four specific recommendations: o Have a game room open to all -Add a teen seat to the Los Gatos ages,but with teen-only hours Thrives Community Center Planning body • era program for teens with service hours for spending time Incorporate teen priorities into . with older adults the amenities r 7 3. Community Center Club and Survey Findings Several of the teens who participated in the focus group formed a Community Center Club at LGHS in the fall of 2024 in order to raise awareness of the project and advocate for its construction. "Students'ambitions are limited by our surroundings.How about a place that has easy access that anyone can use?" "We teens have study spaces (like the library),but what we need are social spaces." • V "There is a lack of affordable places for us to hang out after school" *11,7,9 EAGLES • Los Gatos High School Community Center Club Some Club members attended the presentation of the Community Needs Assessment report to the Town Council on November 19,2024,where they announced the club's formation to the Council. During the 2024-25 school year,the Campaign worked with Club members to conduct a written survey of their LGHS peers to determine their interest in a community center. A total of 281 students responded,with class breakdown as follows: • 14%freshman • 26%sophomores • 31%juniors • 29% seniors 8 — The majority of respondents said they would walk or bike to the center,making proximity to the high school an important factor for their attendance: Transportation to Center W&k ! 113 4 Drive Myself is ,r. Bike eit Wave Others Drive Me 4 z y 1 i —, public Transport t;d . 4 ' 7 S 50 75 100 — Teens want the community center to provide places to hang out,play,and eat.Outdoor sports courts and gathering areas,ping-pong and billiard rooms,a fitness classroom,and a full kitchen received the highest average scores based on scoring of 1 (lowest)to 5 (highest). Top i Teen Facilities sports(ourfs '. SR-Mg/Pate,Area ¢ Ping-Pa»g Roam L Ehtliards Room Fit-nogg Room Full Kitchen r- 3 _ 1 Li 1 1 i The club also analyzed how teens rated their priorities compared to how adults had rat- ed their priorities in the 2024 Community Needs Assessment.They found teen and adult space priorities were aligned in several areas,with teens having a slightly higher overall preference for a space with games and physical activities. 9 While a nearly identical percentage of respondents from both groups assigned the top ranking of 5 to outdoor sitting/patio space,more adults assigned a ranking of 5 to meeting rooms,including a large community room and/or performance space. Interestingly,40% of adults assigned a 5 to a teen room,while a separate room for teens did not make the teens'top 5. Spaces most frequently receiving a score of 5 Teens Adults Outdoor sports court 48% Outdoor sitting/patio area 48% Ping-pong room 47% Large community room 48% Billiard room 44% Performance space 43% Outdoor sitting/patio area 41% Small/medium meeting rooms 40% Fitness classroom 35% Teen center room 40% Club leaders presented the results of their survey to the board of Los Gatos Thrives in May of 2025. Awareness Building: Teens Think Los Gatos Needs a Community Center The Club also held a lunchtime pizza event in the spring of 2025 to inform students about the proposed center and share the survey results.Approximately 100 students attended. . nf 1 if I , ilny _T- w', ;t. - 7 ;,/A. 4' 6, _ ..., . - ,._,4$t __ _.„", 0-84 j. if„, .11--- - ; , ., ' 1 ----va. 10, 16, Ati i .. .. • ,.. . , idiiii I — so ?..." LGHS Community Center Club president discussing survey results 10 In a poll conducted by the club,65%of students said they believed that Los Gatos needs a community center.Just 7%said it does not.Nine new members were recruited to the club at the event. Unsure VeS 65.0% Mo 7.0% 4. Parent Focus Group Findings In the fall of 2025,members of the LGHS Community Center Club collaborated with the Foundation to facilitate the first of several planned parent workshops at LGHS.The parents in attendance validated previous findings and added some new insights. There was some confusion on the definition of'community center;but general agreement that Los Gatos teens need an accessible,indoor-outdoor multi-use facility with creative spaces and sports courts. Parents unanimously preferred a multigenerational center with some age-specific pro- grams and hours,rather than a teen-only facility.In particular,they would like late-night hours to provide a safe alternative to other places teens might choose to gather.Notably,late-night hours have proven very popular at the teen center in Mountain View(see below). Other suggestions:Food trucks in the parking lot,community gardening,and piloting some programs in a rented space. 5. Middle School Focus Group Methodology and Findings In January of 2026,two of the LGHS Community Center Club leaders,with the support of the Foundation,developed and executed a focus group with 25 students in the leadership class at Fisher Middle School.First,they made a short high-level presentation to the students.Then they broke the class into five small discussion groups.Each group made a short presentation on what they would like to see in a community center. 11 Without prior knowledge of the adult or high school student research,the middle schoolers expressed many of the same wishes as their counterparts:sports courts (basketball, volleyball,and pickleball),an exercise room,and some kind of food service. Several expressed a desire for a swimming pool,arcade games,and an arts and crafts room with a sewing machine. Three of the groups wanted a place to study. 6. Perspectives from Around Town Additional anecdotal evidence collected during the Foundation's outreach efforts supports teens'findings. Many in town still recall The Venue,the last incarnation of A Place for Teens,which operated a standalone teen center in Town for 20 years.The Venue was located behind LGHS and operated from 2007 to 2012.It closed due to deferred maintenance and lack of funding, compounded by dwindling attendance by teens and volunteers. "It was a sad day when The Venue closed;former LGHS student Renee Lowe said."I Loved going to The Venue.Both my parents worked,and after school,I was home alone.Fortunately,I had a mildly supervised place where I could listen to music,play games,shoot pool,and hang out with kids my age.My alternative would have been a nearby parking lot or the convenience store" y(__�, F - .,4 4, fx sue', ' ,X g1/40 ___ ..,,,54 Ail: 1 .7 L. -___ _ik , _ 4111111Nlig VI - . -AI ._ '` • • A PLACE- FOR TEENS • � f t I Itt .J The Venue was a standalone teen center that operated from 2007 to 2012. 12 In the absence of a teen center,the new Town Library has become the"third place"for many teens.When it opened in 2012,librarians hoped that ten LGHS students would attend after school each day.They missed that estimate by a mile.The Town Librarian estimates that 150 LGHS students head to the library daily. At the library,this mass migration is known as"the wave:It starts with a trickle after the final bell,turning to a wave over the next 20-30 minutes as students make their way to the second floor,where they gather in the teen room or technology center,or stake out study space at a table.The character of the library changes from quiet to"vibrant;with some adult patrons choosing to leave or,if they are familiar with the wave,simply not attend during after-school hours. The library has responded to the influx with dedicated staffing and programming,but the librarian notes two things: First,150 students daily is straining the limits of their capacity,and second,they aren't able to meet the needs of all the students who come,especially those whose main aims are to socialize,eat and drink,or blow off steam. Other citizens observe that the tables at Cafe Dio,a small coffeehouse located directly across from the high school,fill up after school with students and their tutors,as there are few places in town where such pairs can meet conveniently. Some citizens have questioned whether space at the high school and/or middle school that's unused after school could be utilized.However,in addition to not being intergenerational or what teens want,this idea comes with its own challenges around funding,insurance,and staffing — one being that currently,students are required to leave campus after school unless they are under direct supervision. 7. Intergenerational Benefits Our teens are on to something.The convergence of a growing population of isolated elderly adults and a teen population increasingly experiencing mental health issues has set the stage for an uptick in interest in multigenerational spaces and programming.Generations United and The Eisner Foundation,two leading non-profits advocating for shared site programs, perhaps put it best:"Older adults and children and youth can provide significant support to address one another's needs:' Data on the subject is still hard to come by,but since funding for such programs is often 13 dependent on quantifiable outcomes,these organizations are striving to develop research and metrics for the field.That said,most people instinctively know this is a good thing. According to a 2018 Harris poll commissioned by Eisner,92%of Americans said they believe intergenerational activities can reduce loneliness across all ages.94%agree that older people have skills and talents that can help address a child's/youth's needs,and 89% believe children and youth have talents and skills that can help address the needs of our nation's elders. For many teens,the pressure of school and social media creates a high-stress environ- ment.Engaging with older adults who are often more patient and less focused on"status"can lower social anxiety.Activities such as teaching a senior how to use a smartphone or reading to a younger child provide a sense of agency and contribution.Listening to life stories from seniors help teens realize that their current struggles are manageable,building long-term resilience. Unlike school,where authority is strictly vertical,shared sites foster organic mentorship, knowledge transfer,and career and life guidance.Multigenerational sites also provide a plat- form for teens to practice"soft skills"that are valued in adulthood.They Learn to adapt their language and tone for different audiences,enhancing their emotional intelligence.They often transition from participants to leaders,organizing mixed-age events like community gardens, tech workshops,or board game tournaments. Research suggests that teenagers who interact regularly with older adults are Less likely to engage in risky behaviors and have higher levels of"ego integrity"—a term for feeling com- fortable with who they are becoming. 8. Teen Spaces in Other Communities Community Center Campaign leaders also visited teen spaces in neighboring commu- nities to learn how they meet teen needs.These included The View Teen Center,a standalone center in Mountain View; San Jose's Downtown Youth Wellness Center,which serves teens with special needs;and relatively new community centers with dedicated rooms for teens,such as at the Los Altos Community Center and the Morgan Hill Centennial Recreation Center. Most facilities focus on teens from 6th to 12th grades and offer a mix of programmed activities,spaces for activities and games,and places to hang out.Program leaders emphasized the importance of offering a wide variety of activities,strong program leadership,and providing teens a say in the design. 14 The View Teen Center was of particular interest because it serves the largest number of teens (-600 per month).Teens were highly involved in the creation of the center,and it has extensive programming tailored to meet the needs of the community it serves.The center was fully funded by the Mountain View City Council,which held many meetings with youth and youth leadership as part of the project.Teens were involved in processes such as choosing paint colors and coming up with programs such as"Bike to Boba." The multi-room center includes a lounge,rooms for games,arts and crafts,yoga,and a large kitchen.There is an enclosed outdoor area with a basketball hoop,a ping-pong table,and seating,as well as a lawn/garden area with seating. The Center is not Located near a school,and has an approximately equal split between three ways kids get to the Center:biking or walking,taking a Google shuttle that serves all local schools,or being driven to the Center. The center is open Monday-Friday,3:15-7 p.m,and Saturday,1-6 p.m.Monthly"late hours"(remaining open until 9 pm) programming is always fully subscribed. 8. Conclusion Teens are a key constituency for the new community center.Forty percent of adults sur- veyed said space for teens is a high priority.Teens themselves say they want a safe,affordable place to gather,play,and relax between their time at school and at home. Many teens (and some of their parents) were initially unfamiliar with the concept of a community center.However,once they understood it,their enthusiasm was such that several teens formed a club at LGHS to champion the creation of a community center.Like their coun- terparts in neighboring communities,they expressed a strong desire to have their voices heard and to participate in the campaign and project.Through the Club,they've made that a reality. Club members have been actively engaged in conducting peer research and community outreach.Club leaders have had opportunities to be mentored by adult Foundation leaders in research and in oral and written presentations.They have had opportunities to meet and con- nect with leaders in Town government and non-governmental organizations. Building a new community center will likely take several years.However,efforts to fos- ter intergenerational engagement and collaboration in bringing a community center project to fruition is already underway. 15 Loy Gatos ■ ■ ■ COMMUNITY CENTER Campaign A Los Gatos Thrives Foundation Project