The Schuylkill YMCA/YWCA is unveiling its new, innovative Y Youth Experience Teen Center and Fitness Arcade on Sunday from 3 to 6 with a grand opening for area teens and their families.

The Y is making an entrance in Schuylkill County for the first time in 40 years by introducing this new, state-of-the-art Youth Experience that will have local teens ages 10-16 grooving on dance pads, racing on dirt bikes, and sipping juice with friends.

Schuylkill Y CEO Wayne Stump said the Y is extremely excited to be introducing the newly remodeled YMCA facility to Pottsville and surrounding communities with this innovative concept in youth fitness and recreation.

"For the last 12 years, the Schuylkill YMCA has been a 'Y without walls,' meaning we haven't had a place to call home," Stump said. "So we've been running strictly youth programs throughout the counties wherever we could find space. So it's only fitting that the first space we introduce in our new home in Pottsville is the youth space."

The Y Youth Experience is a three-pronged concept in teen recreation that features a Teen Lounge, Virtual Edge Fitness Arcade, and Live Y-ire Recording Studio. It's a comprehensive design that's geared to any interest a teen might have, from exercise to music.

The Virtual Edge is the latest concept in teen fitness, harnessing the interest that today's youth have in video games by combining them with standard exercise equipment like stationary bikes. Equipment will keep interest peaked by featuring video game technology while the rider is working out. A monitor attached to all equipment also keeps track of heart rate, blood pressure, calories burned, and more.

The Teen Lounge features a high tech snack counter, table games like air hockey and foosball, a large screen television with Wii, and computer lab.

The Live Y-wire Recording Studio will tap into a teen's creative side by offering music downloads, instrument-ready recording capability, live interviews, and so much more to feed into any teen's hunger for creativity.

"The combination of all three areas will insure that we'll reach every interest and provide every outlet that kids today might want," Stump said. "And with a youth or family membership, admittance is free."

The Y Youth Experience open house will run on Sunday from 3-6 and feature a live broadcast by T-102. The Schuylkill YMCA/YWCA is located at 520 N. Centre St., Pottsville. For more information, call 622-7850.

Youth throughout the area now have an answer to that age-old question, "What's there to do in Schuylkill County?"

The new Schuylkill YMCA Youth Experience, featuring our state-of-the-art Teen Lounge, will officially open its doors with a kick-off party for friends and families throughout the county on Sunday, March 15, from 3 to 6 p.m.

Local youth are invited to come down to the new Y at 520 N. Centre St., Pottsville, to check our latest Youth Experience addition located on our entire second floor. Features include a fitness arcade, recording studio, and teen center which together offer activities for every taste and interest of kids ages 10 to 17.

Because the Y's goal and mission is to give teens a healthy, fun, and wholesome option for their free time, we are excited to offer this new concept in afterschool activities. Programs will be offered periodically that will be both fun and educational, such as disc jockey training and nutritional guidelines, along with simply providing teens with a fun place to hang.

The Teen Lounge features a big screen TV with video games featuring the Nintendo Wii, lounge, large snack bar, stereo, air hockey and foosball tables, and coming soon, a wireless computer lab. Activities will also include use of the gym for dodgeball, basketball, volleyball, and indoor soccer.

The Lounge will be open Monday through Friday from 3 to 6 and will be staffed by adults who will supervise, mentor, and guide activities. Use of the Teen Lounge is free to members. A new Youth Membership for ages 6 to 12 will cost only $50 per year and will include the use of the entire Youth Center including the brand new Virtual Edge Fitness Arcade and gymnasium during the scheduled hours, along with entrance to all special teen functions at the Y.

The Schuylkill Y also offers Teen Memberships for ages 13 to 17 for $130 per year, which also includes use of the entire Youth Center, Wellness Center, teen aerobics programs, gymnasium during the scheduled hours, and entrance to all special teen functions at the Y.

The grand opening party on March 15 is geared to youth 10 -17 but open to all family members and is free of charge. Activities for the day will include gaming in our Virtual Edge Arcade, Dance Dance Revolution dance competition, along with other competitions, entertainment, a live broadcast by T102, and more.

Call the Schuylkill Y at 622-7850 for more information on our Y Youth Experience or any of our new youth and family memberships. Remember, Keep Your Eye on the Y! The Schuylkill Y is a member of the Schuylkill United Way.

Where can you go to spin some tunes, strum your guitar, or lay down some mean tracks? Starting March 15, you go to the Schuylkill YMCA's Live Y-ire Recording Studio located in the Y's new Youth Experience center at 520 N. Centre St., Pottsville.

Thanks to the talents and generosity of personalities at T-102, the Y Youth Experience now features a state-of-the-art recording studio that complements the Teen Center lounge and Virtual Edge Fitness Arcade.

The Live Y-ire was designed to simulate radio broadcasting and dee-jaying experiences for youth ages 10-16 who are interested in pursuing a career in radio, learning to play a musical instrument, jamming with some friends, or simply downloading some tunes for fun.

Because the Y is dedicated to building strong character values in every youth program we offer, Live Y-ire will also give teens the opportunity to discuss current events and topics relevant to the youth of today. Interviews are welcome and may be broadcast over the web, and all recording studio activity will be supervised. Kids are welcome to plan their own event or interview, including topic and guests.

With this great addition to the Schuylkill Y Youth Experience, teens are encouraged to hang out at the Y in a safe, secure, and fun place. Our Live Y-ire offers healthy, social interaction and fun, creative opportunities.

The Youth Experience at the Schuylkill YMCA is open to youth ages 10 to 18 Mondays through Friday from 3 to 6 p.m.; Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m.; and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m. Since the Y is focused on helping the entire family, we also open on School-Out days from 10 to 6.

For more information, call the Schuylkill Y at 622-7850. The Schuylkill Y is a member agency of the Schuylkill United Way.

Youth throughout Schuylkill County now have an innovative way to stay in shape thanks to the opening of the new Virtual Edge Fitness Arcade at the Schuylkill YMCA. Join the Y board and staff for the grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony of its Youth Experience, featuring the innovative Virtual Edge on March 15 at 3 p.m. at the YMCA Program Center, 520 N. Center St., Pottsville.

The Virtual Edge is an interactive fitness gaming system that promotes physical activity through an immersive video game experience. It offers youth from age 10 to 18 a variety of games that promote physical activity while playing interactive games with on-screen competitors or friends standing alongside. Teens can choose from a variety of competitions including tennis, golf, boxing, fishing, biking, snowboarding, Dance Dance Revolution, motocross racing and more. Six gaming stations are waiting for the competition to begin at the Schuylkill YMCA.

Utilizing the gaming technology of XRKade, youth forego video game controllers for body movement that can be played alone or in groups. For example, the game bike allows participants to race around tracks and through streets with pedals and a moving handle bar, for a real life biking experience. The XR-BOARD requires participants to use their bodies as the game controller as they snowboard, skateboard or surf a wave. Studies have shown 84 percent of kids stayed on XRKade games for 45 minutes straight, sustaining average heart rates of 142 beats per minute.

With this great addition to the Schuylkill Y Youth Experience, teens are encouraged to hang out at the Y in a safe, secure, and fun place. Our Virtual Edge offers healthy, social interaction incorporating fun competition.

The Youth Experience at the Schuylkill YMCA is open to youth ages 10 to 18 Mondays through Friday from 3 to 6 p.m.; Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m.; and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m. Since the Y is focused on helping the entire family, we also open on School-Out days from 10 to 6.

For more information, call the Schuylkill Y at 622-7850. The Schuylkill Y is a member agency of the Schuylkill United Way.