Families and teens came together to have fun and take part in activities at youth centers
The annual Youth Center Day was celebrated at youth centers throughout Reykjavík recently. The goal of the day is to draw attention to the diverse and positive recreational activities offered at the city's youth centers.
The day is part of youth center and youth house week held nationwide by SAMFÉS, the association of youth centers and youth houses in Iceland. The day has been marked with special festivities in the capital area since 2005.
Excitement throughout the city
Tónabær had excellent attendance, and guests were invited to bead, color, play games and make bracelets and necklaces. Frosti buzzed with tremendous excitement featuring quiz competitions, game tournaments, table tennis and other fun activities. Bakkinn in Breiðholt was alive with festivities as the youth center's 15th anniversary was celebrated, with former staff and supporters visiting to learn about current activities. At Holtið, teens ran a bingo game for a packed house and did a great job.
Teens compete against parents in foosball
At Buskinn, families took center stage and guests actively participated in the program. There, brothers Olek and Pawel competed in a foosball game against their parents, Anna and Adrian, and were ahead when the game ended. The family moved to Iceland from Poland eight years ago, and the parents say they are very pleased with the youth center activities, which they consider crucial for keeping teens active and involved. They were impressed by the quality of the programs and say they don't know of comparable activities in their home country. Olek, who regularly attends Buskinn, lives 20 minutes away and says it's great to be able to come and meet his friends there.
Pizzas sell out at fundraiser
To raise funds for the school's annual celebration, they sold a huge number of pizzas. Parents handled kneading the dough for 100 pizzas while the teens took care of the rest. Viktoría Ýr Daníelsdóttir and Kristín Björt Eiðsdóttir from 8th grade were among those working the shift, and the pizzas flew out the door and eventually sold out! There was also a quiz competition, a "Name That Tune" contest, and a diverse program that the teens themselves created.
Magnús Björgvin Sigurðsson, director of Buskinn, says the day is designed as a mix of a family day and a fundraiser, and is a great way to build strong relationships with parents. He says the day is always well attended and fun, and boosts children's involvement in youth center activities.
