Everybody likes to chill.

That was the sentiment expressed by young people at a community discussion about whether Helena needs a teen center Thursday night at the Lewis and Clark Library.

The conclusion was that a teen center is needed, but not necessarily in one building.

“What the teens ultimately said is that (the teen population) is so diverse that having one place isn’t going to work,” said Drenda Carlson, Youth Connections director who facilitated the meeting.

The action plan will take some creativity since many of the students said they would like a place open until 10 p.m. on weeknights and until midnight on weekends.

“We as a community might need to make some adjustments to meet those needs,” Carlson said.

Some students voiced concerns about underlying bullying that they deal with every day at school could potentially just be carried on to a teen center environment.

Freshman Becca Monard said bullying often comes in slight, subtle hints rather than blatant yelling or shoving.

“Even if it’s not loud, it’s always there,” she said.

Many students said one key component of the teen center concept would be that it’s a safe — physically, emotionally and physiologically — environment for teenagers who want to come. Other descriptions of such a place included a place where young people have choices, consistency, accountability and where policing is done by peers.

“Teens feel belittled every time they are told no,” said Brooke Sampson, a Capital High School senior. “I feel there should be no restrictions until necessary — no volume limit, for example, until there’s a complaint.”

Keith Meyer is the assistant superintendent for Helena Public Schools and also serves on the YMCA Board. He said Thursday afternoon that the YMCA Board is always talking about opportunities for students in the evenings and on weekends.

“There always seems to be a need for that,” he said. “It’s a matter of how it would be organized and how it would look.”

Meyer said there’s always interest in after-school programming.

“There is a definitely a need for a place for teens to gather,” he said.

School Resource Officer Sgt. Torey Keltner from Helena Middle School said he thinks young people in the Queen City would benefit from some type of teen center.

“Any place that kids have a positive influence they can go to is a good thing,” Keltner said. “I think we have a lot of positive influences, and we are lucky the way our city is set up, but anything additional like that would be a good thing.”

Michael O’Neil, Helena School Board chair, said Thursday afternoon his focus wouldn’t be bricks and mortar, but rather to leverage existing buildings and make them more available for young people.

“What I know about teens is that they want to be involved in their community and engaged, and we need to be involved in how to create those opportunities,” O’Neil said.

Don Wood-Foucar, principal at the Project for Alternative Learning, said it’s his sense that students need “a place to see and be seen.”

The discussion to formulate an action plan will continue at a meeting, not yet scheduled, in early December. Watch for meeting announcements in the Independent Record and online at helenair.com.

Alana Listoe: 447-4081 or alana.listoe@helenair.com