Gonzales’ first community center is a testament to getting young people involved.

Celia Jiménez here, thinking about how an idea that began more than a decade ago has now become a reality: The Gonzales Teen Center. 

“It's finally coming to fruition, what we've waited for for years,” says Shelby Anderson, a commissioner for the Gonzales Youth Council, adding that she was a little kid when she first heard about the project.

I spoke with current GYC commissioners Ricardo Rodriguez-Perez, Anderson and Orlando Perez, to get their thoughts on the center. 

The teens worked with others to determine what types of programming the center should offer, including career exploration and social events, such as hangouts and movie nights.

“This is something new and very exciting for our youth. Personally, I feel like this programming is going to be great and will be beneficial to the future of Gonzales, especially our youth,” Perez says. 

Perez adds the community center will provide activities for different age groups. “It's going to bring Gonzales a lot closer, and probably create and build stronger and more efficient relationships,” Perez says.

The Gonzales Teen Center is part of the Dennis & Janice Caprara Community Center Complex, the city's first community center, which will have its grand opening tomorrow, Jan. 10 at 10am at 650 Fifth St. 

Present and past members of the GYC will attend the grand opening. 

“This center represents the evolution of an idea that started with youth having a voice, and now it has a physical home,” says Jeffrey Alvarez, another former commissioner from 2013, who is flying in from Southern California to attend the event. 

“There was an investment from our youth to shape what that looks like,” says Cindy Aguilar-Castañeda, a former youth commissioner for the Gonzales Youth Council and current co-advisor. 

This building is a testament to how Gonzales gets young people involved in government and their community, and has motivated a generation of young people to thrive and advocate for what they believe in. 

Teens have been part of the community center’s process since the beginning, from conducting surveys to finding out the needs and sharing their input on the design, furniture and programming the teen center should offer. Alvarez remembers that youth involvement in Gonzales a decade ago wasn’t as it is today. 

“It’s just incredible to see how far that's come,” Alvarez says.

Aguilar-Castañeda adds that many of them think about their siblings and upcoming generations as they continue to work on the teen center idea. 

“We have students who were applying to Harvard and MIT out of Starbucks and McDonald's, and now there will be students who don't have to do that and can go to our teen center and community center,” she adds.

The Youth Council has formed a new generation of young people who are committed to their community in Gonzales and beyond. It is an opportunity many of us could only dream of. Other local cities are taking note and have created their own youth councils. I can’t wait to see what other projects teens will spearhead in the future and the impact this new center will have on the Gonzales community.