A Renovated Teen Lounge Opens in Barre Library 

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• Courtesy Of Garrett Grant
• Aldrich Public Library's new teen lounge

Barre has absorbed its share of hard knocks in recent years, from severe flooding to a school budget that still hasn't passed. But last Friday, community members gathered at the Aldrich Public Library to celebrate some good news: the opening of a newly renovated teen lounge that will give local youth a vibrant, inviting space to hang out.

Gone are the bulky, outdated pieces of furniture reminiscent of a 1980s dentist's waiting room, assistant library director Garrett Grant said. In its place are modern couches and tables that can be moved around, plants, a geometric-patterned rug and a neon sign that spells out "Teen Lounge."

The renovation was one of multiple projects funded by a $44,000 federal grant secured by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). The money was administered by nonprofit Vermont Afterschool, but young people were the driving force behind the changes.

Elle Oille-Stanforth, community coordinator for Vermont Afterschool, helped students at Spaulding High School conduct a survey last school year to figure out what they thought was missing in Barre.

"The number one thing that came back ... was, 'Please, we need a place to hang out,'" Oille-Stanforth said.

Students designed project proposals that their classmates voted on. After landing on the idea to refurbish the library's teen space, they had a hand in every aspect of the plan, from the orange-and-blue color scheme to picking out furniture and décor.

In addition to bankrolling the $13,000 library renovation, the grant supported a slew of other youth-oriented initiatives in the Granite City, including the creation of a high school volleyball team and a community service club that distributes free personal hygiene products, as well as the purchase of a golf simulator, greenhouse and exercise machines for Spaulding.

Grant, who recently joined Barre's school board, said the renovation of the teen room amounts to an "investment in youth." It's a project, he added, that brings "hope and joy" to the community.