Teen Center Establishment Amendment Act of 2025

COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
OFFICE OF COUNCILMEMBER BROOKE PINTO
THE JOHN A. WILSON BUILDING
1350 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, N.W., SUITE 106
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20004

November 16, 2025
Nyasha Howard, Secretary
Council of the District of Columbia
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20004
Dear Secretary Howard,
Today, along with Councilmembers Anita Bonds, Brianne Nadeau, Christina Henderson, Wendell
Felder, and Zachary Parker , I am introducing the “Teen Centers Establishment Amendment Act
of 2025.” This bill marks the creation of a critical initiative aimed at providing youth across the
District with safe and creative outlets that will also help them meet graduation and career -
preparation milestones by linking engagement in the centers to high-school graduation credits
when a ppropriate. This legislation establishes structured, expanded, teen-centered recreation
spaces that provide evidence-backed programming that supports youth development.
Across the District, many teens, particularly those from under-resourced communities, struggle to
find safe, enriching spaces after school and during weekends , holidays, and school breaks .
Research consistently shows that youth who lack access to structured recreational and mentoring
programs are more likely to experience negative academic and behavioral outcomes, including
disengagement from school and increased risk of justice system involvement.1
The Teen Center Establishment Amendment Act of 2025 seeks to directly address this gap by
requiring the Department of Parks and Recreation ( “DPR”) to open and operate at least four
comprehensive teen centers—one in each quadrant of the District.
Each Teen Center established in the District will provide:
• Recreation and health services, including healthy refreshments, fitness and wellness
activities, meditation, and recreation spaces;
• Arts and culture programming, including access to visual, digital, and performing arts,
creative writing, journalism, and media production;
• Academic and career support, including tutoring, mentoring, financial literacy, college
prep, and workforce development linkages;
• Character-building opportunities, including leadership development, self-esteem, service-
learning, and conflict resolution activities; and

1 Mentoring Programs for Youth: A Promising Intervention for Delinquency Prevention, National Institute of
Justice, (May 26, 2021), available here.

• Special events, including regular community activities such as art shows, open mics,
game tournaments, and youth-led events.
Importantly, this bill also seeks to prioritize youth voices by creating Youth Advisory Councils at
each site. Youth Advisory Council members will shape programming and operations and have
direct input on the creation of these centers, en suring the spaces are designed by and with young
people.
Should you have any questions about this legislation, please contact my Senior Legislative Policy
Advisor, Anaiah Mitchell, at amitchell@dccouncil.gov.
Thank you,

Brooke Pinto
Councilmember, Ward 2
Chairwoman, Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety
Council of the District of Columbia

1
2
_____________________________ ________________________ 3
Councilmember Anita Bonds Councilmember Brooke Pinto 4
5
6
____________________________ __________________________ 7
Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau Councilmember Christina Henderson 8
9
10
11
_______________________________ __________________________ 12
Councilmember Wendell Felder Councilmember Zachary Parker 13
14
15
16
A BILL 17
18
_________________________ 19
20
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 21
22
_________________________ 23
24
25
To amend Title 10, Chapter 3 of the District of Columbia Official Code to establish the D.C. 26
Teen Center Fund; to amend Section 6 of The Recreation Act of 1994 to require the 27
Department of Parks and Recreation to establish and operate a minimum of four 28
comprehensive teen centers; and to require the creation of Youth Advisory Councils for 29
each center to ensure youth participation in governance, programming, and operations. 30
31
BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 32
act may be cited as the “Teen Center Establishment Amendment Act of 2025”. 33
Sec. 2. Section 3c of the “Recreation Act of 1994,” effective March 23, 1995 (D.C. Law 34
10-246; D.C. Official Code §10-303) is amended as follows: 35
(a) A new section 4a is added to read as follows: 36
“(1) There is established the “D.C. Teen Center Fund” (“Fund”), which the 37

Department shall administer in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. 38
Revenue deposited into the Fund account shall be expended by the Department for the 39
administration, improvement, and maintenance of property and programs managed by the 40
Department and shall supplement, but not replace, services provided by the Department. 41
“(2) The Fund shall be nonlapsing and may receive: 42
(A) Local appropriations; 43
(B) Federal grants; and 44
(C) Private donations, gifts, and other contributions. 45
“(c) Proceeds and money deposited into the Fund may be used solely for the purposes of 46
this section, including operations, staffing, maintenance, programming, and capital 47
improvements for the teen centers. 48
“(d) All fees collected and interest earned on funds shall not revert to the unrestricted 49
fund balance of the General Fund of the District of Columbia at the end of a fiscal year, or at any 50
other time.”. 51
(c) Section 5 is amended as follows: 52
Ҥ10-305. Mega recreation centers and Teen centers. 53
“(a) The Mayor shall develop, construct, and implement mega recreation centers in 54
strategic locations throughout the District of Columbia. Such centers shall be spacious enough to 55
accommodate several indoor activities simultaneously and contain state of the art equipment and 56
apparatus. 57
“(b) The Department shall establish and operate a minimum of 4 comprehensive teen 58
centers, one located in each Quadrant across the District of Columbia. 59
“(c) Program Standards. 60

“Each teen center shall provide programming that incorporates evidence-based 61
prevention and intervention strategies, connects recreation to educational achievement, and 62
supports holistic youth development, including: 63
“(1) Recreation and Health (including a snack area or café offering healthy 64
refreshments, arcade, open recreational area, meditation, yoga, fitness, and wellness 65
programming); 66
“(2) Arts and Culture (including visual, digital, and performing arts, journalism 67
and creative writing, access to recording and production equipment); 68
“(3) Academic and Career Support (including tutoring, mentoring, study support, 69
financial literacy and career readiness, college preparation, and internship or apprenticeship 70
linkages); 71
“(4) Character Building (including leadership and development opportunities, 72
team-building and service-learning projects, programming supporting self-esteem, conflict 73
resolution, and positive relationships); and 74
“(5) Special Events (including regular themed activities and community events 75
such as art shows, open mic nights, video game tournaments, dance lessons, karaoke nights, and 76
other youth-led initiatives). 77
“(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of the law, the services under this section shall 78
be applicable to count toward graduation requirements in accordance with section 2203.3(f) of 79
Title 5-A of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations (5-A DCMR § 2203.3(f)). 80
“(e) Centers shall be open during after-school hours, weekends, and school breaks 81
throughout the calendar year, or additional times as determined by the Youth Advisory Council 82
established in section 4 of this act. 83

“(f) All staff and volunteers shall undergo a mandatory minimum background check and 84
complete youth engagement and trauma-informed training. 85
“(g) The Department shall establish and maintain a minimum staff-to-teen supervision 86
ratio for safety and program quality. Each center shall not operate below the minimum staffing 87
level.”. 88
“(h)(1)(A) The Department shall establish a Youth Advisory Council for each center 89
composed primarily of D.C. youth and community stakeholders, to provide recommendations on 90
programming, policy, and operations. 91
“(B) Councils shall meet at least quarterly and provide recommendations 92
to the Director of the Department and to the Council Committee with jurisdiction over the 93
Department. 94
“(2) Youth Advisory Councils shall have decision-making authority regarding 95
center activities, events, art installations, and general facility rules as established in subsection 96
2(b) of section 3 of this act.”. 97
“(i) The Department shall submit an annual report to the Council and the Mayor 98
detailing: 99
“(1) The number and location of centers established; 100
“(2) Program participation rates and outcomes; 101
“(3) Financial statements for the Teen Center Fund; and 102
“(4) Recommendations for program expansion and improvement.”. 103
Sec. 7. Fiscal impact statement. 104
The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal 105
impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, 106

approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a). 107
Sec. 8. Effective date. 108
This act shall take effect after approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the 109
Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30-day period of congressional review as 110
provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 111
24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of 112
Columbia Register. 113