Teensgiving 2013

Teenz in the City participated in the TEENSGIVING an annual one-day-only event in which over 700 high school teenagers participate in different community service projects all throughout New York City. Our group traveled together via subway and arrived at the 92nd street Y for a brief orientation. Upon arrival, we checked in at tables under our last names, which was good practice to figure out which table to sign in at according to what letter of the alphabet our last name started with. We were given our community service placement a food pantry on the upper west side of Manhattan. We followed the directions and arrived at the food pantry. We were given our task, which was to organize food donations into various boxes ie: canned vegetables, meat, pasta, rice etc. which we learned would be distributed tomorrow for over 100 people who were hungry. Our group worked really hard together as a team sorting cans and dried foods. Afterwards, we grabbed a quick celebratory lunch which was a nice treat after a long morning of hard work. While at lunch, we discussed with the group how most our sessions are generally geared toward having fun and outings that they prefer; however, it is important to remember how fortunate we are, and why it is so important to give back to the community. We used hopstop.com to determine the travel route back to our meeting point which included taking the 2/3 train crosstown to Times Square, then transferring to the S train to Grand Central, and then taking the 6 train downtown. It was excellent travel training practice for us to travel on so many different subway lines in one day! Overall, it was a very rewarding day ,and we look forward to making TEENSGIVING an annual event for Teenz in the City!

Cooking our Own Lunch!

November 17, 2013

This past weekend, Teenz in the City went to Gyu-Kaku where we were able to cook our own lunch using a grill right at our table. We utilized Safari to google the address and figured out that the 6 train downtown was the best choice to arrive at our destination by using hopstop. We worked on looking at street signs to determine our location when we got off a subway that we had never been before. While we were there, we grilled chicken, shrimp, vegetables, and tried edamame! For dessert, we grilled smores and discussed our favorite foods. One of the most important skills we focused on during this session was tipping. We used our phone calculators to determine a 20% tip and how to add this to the total amount of food ordered. We used the same process when we were in the taxi on the way back as well. This is a skill we have requested parents continue to work on in between sessions.  We are looking forward to trying new foods in the future with our group and becoming more savvy when going out to meals!

 

 

Shipwreck Discovery Education!

This past weekend, Teenz in the City went to see the Discovery Education Shipwreck Exhibit in Times Square. The members decided that we should work on underground transfers of the subway and took the 6 and the Shuttle to Times Square. Due to the chilly weather, we all agreed that being outside for less time was advantageous! While at the exhibit, the members were able to endure hurricane force winds at 78 mph in a closed space and learn about the many ships that have sunk in history. In addition, the members were able to practice steering a ship and learned about excavating items from under the sea. It was a wonderful exhibit that provoked great discussion among the members. We look forward to seeking out new Discovery Education exhibits in the spring!

October 31, 2013

To celebrate Halloween Teenz in the City style, we decided to explore the Upper West Side and all the spooky decorated brownstones. We practiced taking the uptown B train and found the subway using hopstop collectively. We reviewed the importance of staying close to the group, given the size of the crowds out for Halloween.  Everyone took in the sights and enjoyed some candy from the trick-or-treating experience. To end our time together, we stopped at Magnolia Cupcakes to try the Halloween themed cupcakes. All of the members enjoyed celebrating the holiday together and we look forward to this tradition in years to come!

Jekyll and Hyde: A Halloween Adventure!

October 26, 2013

This past weekend, we had our annual Halloween outing to Jeykl & Hyde in Times Square. We used hopstop.com to determine the travel route to and from the restaurant back to our home base. While traveling as a group, we always give one or two members the opportunity to be the group leader and navigate the group for the day. Today our member, led us to the downtown train, when the directions stated we were supposed to be taking the uptown train. We were able to use this as a teachable moment and reviewed with the group the importance of reading the signs before entering the subway to make sure that it the right direction. We also reviewed with our members how to use the machine to refill our metro card. While at the restaurant we were entertained by the talented staff at Jeykl & Hyde and on going shows around the restaurant. It was a really great day and fun was had by all of our members! Happy early Halloween to all!

Having a Blast Bowling!

October 22, 2013

This past weekend our group headed to Bowlmar lanes in Times square for some bowling and lunch. We used hopstop.com to determine the best travel route and used google maps on our iphones to help guide us upon walking. As Times Square can be a busy area, it is important to execute safety at all times including staying together as a group, having an awareness of our personal space and our environment and dealing appropriately with strangers. While at the lanes, we had a great time together and practiced our reciprocal conversation skills regarding our favorite foods and classes at school. It is really great to observe some new friendships developing amongst the group members and we are looking forward to fostering these new relationships in the weeks to come.

 

 

 

Girls' Group- A beautiful fall afternoon

This past session, we continued to focus on our travel training skills, in particular better understanding the NYC grid system (streets & avenues) as well as increasing their knowledge of directions (N,E,S,W). The girls were able to use hostop.com in order to navigate this site more independently. While traveling to our destination, we encouraged the girls to follow their hopstop directions as well as a visual map in order to continue to increase their understanding of the directions. This was very helpful for them in order to visualize our walking route.  

 
We also worked on our independence cards (this is a card that the girls will keep in their wallet at all times and includes addresses and phone numbers for many places and people that they often visit). This card will be used to help increase their familiarity with these locations as well as their independence as they can now refer to these cards as needed.

Girls' Group

This past week our session focused on travel training skills including increasing the girls understanding of hopstop.com, public transporation, reading directions and street signs . We created a step by step instruction guide which our members could use in order to navigate hopstop.com more independently. We reviewed our acronoym Never, East, Soggy, Waffles while walking to the subway and were very impressed of the girls' confidence while traveling on the subway.  We enjoyed an after school treat and visited a pet store as both of our members are true animal lovers. While out in the streets of New York City, we are always surrounded by diverse people and can be faced wtih unexpected situations. We always use these moments as teachable lessons and reinforce the type of behavior that is expected while out in the community.

Saturday, October 5th

This past Saturday, we went on Scott’s Pizza tour and explored the area of Greenwich Village. We used hopstop.com to determine the travel route to meet the tour downtown on Spring street. We reviewed how to purchase a new metro-card and discussed the pattern of odd/even street numbers in order to find our destination. We started off the tour at a local Italian cheese shop and got to sample a delicious creamy taste While on the tour, we learned about the history of pizza in Little Italy and the development of pizza from a Neapolitan street food to a celebrated American staple. We then headed to Lombardi’s pizza, and got to check out the original pizza oven. Next, we headed over to Fiore’s on Bleeker street for a thin crust slice. We compared and contrasted our notes during and after each stop, and were surprised with the elements of each. It was a great time and a delicious tour! Alex was a wonderful photographer this week and captured many great moments. Teenz in The City have started a fabulous partnership with Scott and we look forward to planning another pizza tour in the future!

October 2, 2013

The girls' group spent this past session working on very important skills, such as reading a map to determine which direction is east versus west and north versus south. Having this visual aid helped the girls to start understanding New York City from a larger standpoint. For our outing destination, the girls selected Tasti D-Lite, where we enjoyed delicious yogurt together and sat outside.  For the rest of our session, we spent time in Madison Square Park taking in the sights and warm weather of the unexpected indian summer weather. We look forward to making our emergency phone number cards to keep in our wallets next week!

Stardust Diner

This past weekend, Teenz in the City went to Times Square to have a fantastic brunch while listening to live musical performances by the waiters and waitresses. The group used hopstop to determine that the N/R subway would be the quickest way to arrive at our destination. While at the diner, we had the chance to get on the microphone and introduce ourselves and sing along to some great tunes! On the way home, the teens shared a taxi and gained an understanding of appropriate tipping for a taxi driver and how to divide the total among each person. Everyone had a great time and we are looking forward to our special pizza outing next Saturday.

Big Daddy-Girls' Group Kick Off

September 25, 2013

The first girls' group of the fall season started off with a review of hopstop directions and a wonderful after school snack at Big Daddy Diner.  The girls utilized hopstop to figure out that the subway (downtown 6) was the most logical route to take to arrive at the diner. We reviewed knowing when we were walking uptown/downtown by seeing the numbers increase and decrease, as well as etiquette when walking down a crowded street. During our snack, the girls discussed their summer camp experiences and how their year was going so far.  We look forward to many new adventures during girls' group this fall, as well as a growing sense of independence!

San Gennaro Festival

September 21, 2013

This weekend, our group went to the 87th Annual Feast of San Gennaro in Little Italy. Together as a group we researched the travel route to arrive in Little Italy, and decided that the subway was the most direct route of travel. While on the subway, we discussed the history of the San Gennaro feast as well as the culture and heritage of Little Italy. Upon arrival to the feast, we were greeted by the delicious smells and musical entertainment of Little Italy that reflects Italian-American culture. Our group members were excited to try new foods. including fried oreos, pizza, canolis, and even fresh corn on the cob! It was great to be reunited with our fall group, while enjoying the beautiful weather and energy of the feast. It was a really special day!

Yasou and Welcome Back!

September 15, 2013

We kicked off our Fall/Winter Teenz in the City group with a trip to Union Square to dine at a fantastic restaurant called "Village Taverna".  This outing was designed as a group member's request who wanted to share his Greek heritage with the group. It was wonderful to provide him with this opportunity to share his culture with the group and for the other members to learn to appreciate other cultures while trying some new foods! We reviewed taking the subway using hopstop and the 6 train. We also introduced our new members' choice initiative, beginning this fall. This will allow members to vote on an outing of choice one time per month in order to practice teamwork, flexibility, and allowing them to try new things. Be sure to take note of our fall/winter outings on the schedule. We look forward to all the exciting moments to come in our upcoming outings this fall!

Summer Program 2013 : Week 3

Teenz in the City had a great 3rd week of our summer program!!

On Monday, the group took our first trip to Coney Island.  We used hopstop to determine that we needed to take two subways in order to navigate our way into Brooklyn. While on the subway, the group learning interesting, fun facts about Coney Island. Upon arrival, the group played a few boardwalk games, and we even had a few prize winners! The trip to Coney Island would not have been complete with a ride on the Wonder Wheel and a lunch on the boardwalk overlooking the beach at the famous Nathan's Hot Dogs.



On Tuesday, the group had a special treat on a walking pizza tour in downtown Manhattan. The group learned about the history of pizza in North America and dined at the first pizzeria ever created, Lombardi's Pizzeria.  Our next stop was Price Street Pizza for a Sicilian slice, and we ended our trip at Forcella Pizza on the Bowery. We learned and discussed the differences in pizza style, taste, and stoves. The group discussed their favorite pizza of the day, and we look forward to taking another pizza tour this fall.

On our last day of Teenz in the City Summer, we headed to Max Brenner's Chocolate by the Bald Man in Union Square. By student request, we also stopped Barnes and Noble to take a look at some of the group members favorite books. The group discussed their favorite outings this summer and the skills they feel they have improved upon. We have seen a tremendous improvement in the teens' confidence and independence while navigating the street of New York City. It is amazing how quickly the past three weeks have gone; we look forward to kicking off our fall Teenz sessions on Sunday, September 14th, 2013! Be sure to check back for upcoming dates.

Summer Program 2013: Week 2

During Week 2 of the Teenz in the City Summer Program, we went on three fantastic outings. On Tuesday, the teens demonstrated flexibility due to the unfortunate rain and the group voted on a movie outing to see Despicable Me 2 instead of our planned outing to Central Park.  We learned how to use the "moviefone" app on our iphones, where we located the closest theater, viewed showtimes and then used the hosptop app to navigate our way to the movie theatre.

On Wednesday, we went to Pier 25 where we were able to play a round of mini golf. This trip was particularly significant because we worked on traveling by subway using hopstop, and also used googlemaps to figure out the walking route all the way to the west side highway! The counselors let the students take the lead and further emphasized their growing independence.  A couple teens could really sink a their golf balls!

On Thursday, Teenz in the City traveled to the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria, Queens. We continued to work on transferring subway lines and using the googlemaps app to locate the museum. While we were there, we explored the history of televisions, cameras, and even were able to create our own sound effects for movies. We also welcome two new group members this week, and we were excited to show them what Teenz in the City is all about!

 Summer Program: Week 1

Teenz in the City kicked off the Summer Program 2013 this week! We had an exciting week, while refining many critical skills that honed in on gaining independence. 

On Tuesday, we took a cruise on the Hudson River and viewed the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and the Freedom Tower. The group had the opportunity to take the crosstown bus and gain an understanding of making a transfer to the subway.  During lunch, the group shared stories of their summer and goals they have for the Teenz in the City Summer Program.

On Wednesday, the group took a tour of Body Works, the Discovery Education exhibit in Times Square. The group decided that the subway was the most efficient route to arrive in Times Square. We explored the different body systems and engaged in a thoughtful reflection over lunch after the exhibit.

On Thursday, the group went bowling at Bowlmor Lanes. We practiced flexibility in commuting and took a taxi one way and the subway on the way back. We reviewed the concept of appropriate tipping in a taxi and how to split a fare among the teens traveling together.

We are looking forward to continuing the Teenz in the City Summer Program during the next two weeks!

Bareburger June 17, 2013

For our final session of the school year, Teenz in the City went to Bareburger in Murray Hill. The teens used googlemaps to determine that walking would be the best option and used their hopstop/googlemaps as a guide.  The teens did an excellent job asking one another about summer plans and their favorite outings of the year. We look forward to seeing everyone in August for our Summer Program 2013!

Sugar Restaurant June 14, 2013
On our last Girls Teenz outing of the year, we went to the meatpacking district in Manhattan to Sugar Restaurant for delicious milkshakes to celebrate all the hard work of the school year. The girls were sad that our sessions were coming to an end for the year, but recollected on all the skills they worked on and growth they have shown since they started with Teenz. We look forward to continuing Girls Teenz in the fall!

Lego Museum June 15, 2013
On our last Saturday outing before the summer, Teenz in the City ventured to the new Discovery Education Lego Exhibit titled: Art of the Brick.  We explored the museum and saw many impressive designs by artist Nathan Sawaya. There were designs that had over 20,000 lego pieces such as the dinosaur pictured here. We enjoyed a quick lunch after the museum where each teen shared their favorite outing of the year and a skill that they feel aided in their independence.