Comcast and the Boys and Girls Club of Snohomish County partner to bring cutting-edge technology to the BGC Teen Center of Granite Falls.
Recently, excited community members flooded into the new Boys and Girls Club Teen Lift Zone to check out the high-tech upgrades this vibey space offers. Teens eagerly explore the color 3D printer, the esports station, and tinker with the multimedia production equipment. Socializing over the digital board game table, a group of teens chooses between a variety of games and settles into a game of Monopoly. Nearby, a group of teens and staff members sneak in a quick interactive video game on high-powered computers before the ribbon-cutting ceremony begins. The room fills with anticipation as the upgraded Teen Lift Zone is unveiled.
From Vision to Reality: The Story Behind the Granite Falls High-Tech Lift Zone
Comcast-funded Lift Zones, now in 1,250 locations nationwide, began in response to COVID-era needs. Online learning highlighted the uneven access to reliable technology in communities. Social isolation and fewer opportunities for collaborative hands-on learning also had a devastating impact, especially on teens. “All of a sudden, we had 50 kids who needed to get on Zoom,” Marci Volmer, chief operating officer of the Boys and Girls Club of Snohomish County, explains. “Our buildings just couldn’t do that. That is when Comcast stepped up, and the Lift Zones started.”
Part of a $1 billion initiative to advance digital opportunity, Comcast’s Project UP has contributed $60,000 to the community of Granite Falls to foster teen innovation and workforce readiness. “We don’t just work in the community. We live here. Our kids go to school here,” Michael McGreevey, vice president of finance and business operations and board member of the Boys and Girls Club, explains. “We feel the impact of all the residents here, so it’s our responsibility and duty as a large corporation to give back to the community as well.”
Lift Zones continue to fill digital gaps by providing teens with equitable access to advanced technological tools, safe supervised spaces to build social connections, and explore STEM interests while preparing them for an increasingly high-tech world.
A Sneak Peek of the Lab: Technology, Creativity, and Innovation Opportunities
Brand new equipment, including color 3D printers, high-powered computers, teleconferencing technology, and advanced tools such as virtual reality, esports, robotics kits, and multimedia production equipment are arranged in a teen-centric room with cozy interactive spaces, fun lighting, and plenty of friendly staff ready to help.
Youth of the Year, Aaliyah Boggie of Granite Falls, settles in to play a game on the digital gaming table with a group of kids from the center. Aaliyah, whose favorite subject in school is math, has dreams of working as an ultrasound tech or exploring a career at Boeing. She plans on using the new high-speed computers to do college research and explore career opportunities. She is also very excited about the interactive esports, Xboxes, and fun environment that the center offers. “I’m big on the lighting,” Boggie says. “The lights bring just such a good vibe in here, and it looks so fun.”
Teens, like Aaliyah, now enjoy an inviting social space while learning what possibilities are available to them post-graduation. Volmer explains that life and workforce readiness are a primary focus for teen programming. It is essential that students graduate with a plan, but also a pathway to achieve their goals. Being able to utilize cutting-edge tools in the Lift Zone allows them to explore multiple pathways. “We want to give kids a picture of what is possible for them,” Volmer explains. “You can’t be what you can’t see. That’s why we put so much into cutting-edge technology in our teen centers so that they can really explore all different things.”
Looking Ahead: How the Lift Zone Will Help Shape the Future of Youth
Partnerships with local businesses such as Microsoft, Boeing, and media outlets will help support local teens in the pursuit of their future and foster creativity using Lift Zone technology. Mentors in club programming, such as Power Hour and Project Learn, can now benefit from upgraded computers that can assist in resume-building and job readiness workshops. Technology is moving quickly, but with access to the newest tools and supportive adults, teens can be a part of that movement.
“Hopefully, we can give them the things that they need so they can be creative and be a part of inventing the next thing,” Volmer explains. In a safe-supervised environment, kids are pressing into a digitally equitable future while building social ties resulting in stronger, more equitable communities.
Through a partnership between Comcast and the Boys and Girls Club of Snohomish County, the newly installed Lift Zone in Granite Falls BGC Teen Center takes a step in closing the digital skills divide, while providing teens with innovative, creative spaces and hands-on opportunities. It is a hub for building confidence and forming future-readiness by positioning the youth in Granite Falls to imagine stronger possibilities and take an active role in their futures and the future of their community.
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