Tacoma Clubhouse reopening this week

The Tacoma Clubhouse returns with an Open House event Saturday, October 21st from Noon to 3:30 pm, and regular hours of 2-6 pm beginning Monday, October 23rd at 1209 MLK Jr Way, Tacoma.

The Tacoma Clubhouse is an after school program that allows youth to discover their own voice through the use of technology, offering music production, graphic design, LEGO robotics, video production, game design, app development, homework help, tutoring and more!

The Tacoma Clubhouse opened in January 2001 under the direction of Dr. Luversa Sullivan through a partnership with Intel, Allen A.M.E. Church, the Evergreen State College, the Tacoma Urban League, and many community members. Sullivan served as the Clubhouse Coordinator from January 2001, until her sudden death in June 2013. She influenced hundreds of people throughout the world to follow their passions while using technology. After her death, the Clubhouse survived because of the dedicated alumni of the program who stepped in to serve as volunteers to keep the doors open. The Tacoma Clubhouse is hosted by Allen Renaissance, and is a proud member of the The Clubhouse Network.

Greg Smith is the current Clubhouse Coordinator, taking over last May; the previous coordinator, Jaleesa Trapp, left to attend grad school at the MIT Media Lab. She’s the first coordinator or Clubhouse alum accepted into the graduate program.

About: The Tacoma Clubhouse provides a creative and safe out-of-school learning environment where young people work with adult mentors to explore their own ideas, develop new skills, and build confidence in themselves through the use of technology, and is dedicated to creating opportunities and removing barriers that hinder progress and wellbeing for residents in the Hilltop community of Tacoma, WA. http://www.clubhousetacoma.org/

The Allen Network consists of Allen A.M.E. Church, Allen Renaissance and Damascus Corporation, non-profit entities established in 1899, 1999 and 2008 respectively. Our Mission is to break the cycle of poverty, create opportunity; and remove barriers that hinder the progress and well being of youth and families in the HillTop and surrounding communities in Tacoma WA.

The Clubhouse Network is a program of the Museum of Science, Boston in collaboration with the MIT Media Lab. The Clubhouse mission is to provide a creative and safe out-of-school learning environment where young people from under-served communities work with adult mentors to explore their own ideas, develop new skills, and build confidence in themselves through the use of technology. In support of that mission, The Clubhouse Network supports community-based Clubhouses around the world by providing start-up support, professional development, new technology innovations, evaluation and assessment, partnership opportunities, and access to an online community for youth, mentors, and staff.

Today, The Clubhouse Network is a global community comprised of 100 Clubhouses in 19 countries, providing 25,000 youth per year with access to resources, skills, and experiences to help them succeed in their careers, contribute to their communities, and lead outstanding lives. www.theclubhousenetwork.org

Tacoma Clubhouse, The Clubhouse Network, Allen Renaissance
edited by Danielle Nease, Tacoma Daily Index