ERIN EDGEMON, Business Columnist
Posted: Monday, November 2, 2009 9:46 am

Maya Porter, Taylor Gibbs and Jimmy Mansfield take a break from preparing YEAH for opening in the main floor lounge.

Seventeen-year-old Taylor Gibbs said it would take more than words to describe what the Youth Empowerment through Arts and Humanities (YEAH) after school hangout and educational center for kids means to her.

“I think it is the coolest thing that has ever hit Murfreesboro,” she said. “There is no place for kids to see rock shows or hangout. You have to be 18 or 21. It is not fair.”

That is until now.

YEAH “A Creative Connected Community” celebrates its open house today, Nov. 2, noon to 9 p.m. It is located on the Public Square at 114 S. Maple St. The community center, of sorts, is open to anyone ages 10-17. Monthly membership is $20.

Kids can begin signing up now at www.yeahintheboro.org.

“It will serve as a great social place for kids when they get out of school,” said Ryan York, executive director of YEAH. He said he hopes that the center will “foster creativity” and help kids grow confidence in themselves.

And besides that, it is a place for kids of like mind to get together. YEAH is the umbrella nonprofit organization for the annual Southern Girls Rock and Roll Camp and other camps held on the MTSU campus.

It was SGRRC founder Kelley Anderson’s vision more than seven years ago to eventually have a community center for kids that included classes in art and music and an all ages venue.

That dream has finally come to fruition. For a monthly fee kids get to hang out in the lounge, a comfortable, creative space where kids can talk and play games after school or on the weekends.

The space contains a pool table and fuse ball table and plenty of snacks and drinks.

A spot in the lounge is reserved for special events such as poetry readings, stand up comedy and acoustic nights.

The basement of the center is a fully equipped recording studio where members can learn everything there is about recording bands.

Also in the basement, is an all ages venue where most weekends a band will play live.

The top floor of the YEAH center is a computer lab and library.

Tutors will be available on this floor to help students with their homework.

“We will have a great place for students to read,” York said, pointing out a variety of couches spread out on the top floor of YEAH. “It is a really nice, comfortable place for kids to get work done.”

A huge list of classes will be offered to members: everything from recording, screen printing, zine making, photography, Web site development, break dancing and hip hop classes, music lessons, graffiti art, poetry writing and film making.

Ryan said the center is possible because of the hundreds of volunteers YEAH has signed up over the years through Southern Girls Rock and Roll Camp and Rock Blok, a program where kids learn how to play in a band together.

“I think it is the coolest thing ever,” said Maya Porter, 15, of the YEAH center. “This building is pretty exciting.”

She said YEAH and Southern Girls Rock and Roll Camp has really helped her grow more confident as a person and as a performer.

She hopes that the center will do that for other kids as well.

The YEAH center will give kids an outlet to talk about music and to explore their creative interests, and that is pretty cool.

Erin Edgemon can be reached at eedgemon@murfreesboropost.com.

YEAH Murfreesboro’s After School Spot Hours of operation Monday-Friday 3-9 p.m. Saturday 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Sunday 1-5 p.m. For a complete calendar of events and classes, visit www.yeahintheboro.org.