CLEVELAND — The Boys & Girls Club of Northeast Ohio hosted their first annual teen appreciation social. Teens from Akron and Cleveland came together on Saturday afternoon and were able to learn about the career readiness program.

Courtney Horne, the Director of Teen Initiatives for Boys & Girls Club of Northeast Ohio, said that they expose the teens to careers in technology, trades, the arts, engineering and more.

“We want to make sure that we’re hitting those really big gaps that we often see in workforce development, but we want to make sure we’re sensitive to their individual interests and passions too,” she said.

It was also about building a community, which Horne explained is what the Boys & Girls Club strives to do.

“I really want them to walk away knowing that Boys & Girls Club is a place for teens,” she said.

Ka’Mya Allen, a 14 year old that attends the Boys & Girls Club, said she’s going to take part in the career readiness program for the first time.

“Figuring out what I really want to do because I’m in high school now and high school years go fast,” she said.

Allen has hopes of working in business or becoming a veterinarian.

“I hope it’ll benefit me like guide me in the right path of what I really want to do,” she said.