HOLYOKE — There’s not a whole lot to do on a weeknight for teenagers in the city except to play volleyball, basketball, try their hand at painting and grab a free meal or snack.
With the help of the state’s Summer Nights grant programs, the Holyoke Boys & Girls Club will hold outdoor activities every Tuesday and Wednesday evening through August to keep kids in middle and high school off the streets and maybe off their phones a little, said Eileen Cavanaugh, director of the Holyoke Boys & Girls Club.
Gov. Maura T. Healey, with Rebecca Tepper, Energy and Environmental Affairs secretary, and Brian Arrigo, Department of Conservation and Recreation secretary, kicked off the 10th year of the program on Wednesday with a visit to the Holyoke Boys & Girls Club.
They came toting two racks of basketballs and after a few speeches and a performance by Springfield rapper Miz Tash and Parent Villages students from the club challenged State Sen. John Velis, D-Westfield, who came prepared in shorts and sneakers, to some pick-up hoops.
“What is so great about a club like this is it provides young people with opportunity, it gives them something to do, it gives them a way to engage in activities that give them a chance to believe in themselves, to push themselves, to try out new experiences,” Healey said.
She called the program special especially since the money goes to organizations who already serve teens and know what will attract their interest.
“They are together with a number of other kids and I think through that they learn a lot about teamwork, they learn a lot about collaboration they learn about cooperation,” she said.
In its 10th year, the state is doling out $2.6 million to more than 100 organizations that serve mainly urban teens across the state. Seven of the communities are in Western Massachusetts with Westfield, Chicopee, Pittsfield and Easthampton joining Holyoke, Springfield and Hadley, which have participated in the program for years.