The Youth Center

The Youth Center Where kids discover passion and purpose! Year-round programs for kids since 1952. Lina Lumme, CEO

Happy birthday to Zeo! 🎊 Zeo is one of our Camp Shark and After School program staff! Zeo always shows up with generosit...
09/04/2026

Happy birthday to Zeo! 🎊 Zeo is one of our Camp Shark and After School program staff! Zeo always shows up with generosity and kindness. Have a great birthday! 🎈

Our first session of Girls in STEM kicked off yesterday! The girls used engineering skills to build a spaghetti tower th...
09/04/2026

Our first session of Girls in STEM kicked off yesterday! The girls used engineering skills to build a spaghetti tower that could support a marshmallow. We can't wait to see what they'll learn next! 👩‍🔬✨

Nobody wants to listen to a speech that sounds like it was written by a dictionary.This week at The Youth Center, we tau...
09/03/2026

Nobody wants to listen to a speech that sounds like it was written by a dictionary.

This week at The Youth Center, we taught high school students how to create and deliver a speech that actually makes people want to listen.

And honestly? The formula isn’t complicated.

Start at the end.
What do you want your audience to walk away with?

Then build your speech around five things:

1. Catch them. Start with something unexpected, funny, or interesting.
2. Connect. Introduce yourself and make it relatable.
3. Surprise them. Give them that “Wait…did they just say that?” moment.
4. Make your point. Keep the main message simple. Don’t bury it under 47 paragraphs.
5. Finish strong. Give them the takeaway and, when appropriate, the ask.

And yes, in the AI world, AI can help you write your speech. But AI can’t be you. Make sure your words sound authentic and actually connect with the people sitting in front of you.

One of my favorite tools we taught our students: after you write your speech, reduce it to five words, one word for each major point.

If you can remember those five words, you can get on that stage without memorizing every sentence.

Be authentic. Be you. Make it fun.

Because whether you’re speaking to five people or 500, they’re giving you their time.

Make them glad they listened.

So proud of our students for dissecting, rewriting, polishing, and adding those little unexpected moments that make a speech POP.

These are skills they’ll carry with them long after high school.

Save this. Share it with someone who has to give a speech. And please…help them avoid the 47-paragraph boring version.

09/03/2026

Sold Out - but the memories are just getting started ✨

Don't miss Kids Night Out: Mad Science Bash! 🧪🧬 This awesome event is happening Friday, September 18th at The Youth Cent...
09/03/2026

Don't miss Kids Night Out: Mad Science Bash! 🧪🧬 This awesome event is happening Friday, September 18th at The Youth Center. Kids will enjoy exciting experiments, science-themed crafts, dinner, and a movie! Sign up now using the QR code or using the link in the comments.

🎉 Happy 1-Year Anniversary, Valerie! 🎉Technically, Valerie’s first anniversary with us happened over the summer… but sin...
09/02/2026

🎉 Happy 1-Year Anniversary, Valerie! 🎉

Technically, Valerie’s first anniversary with us happened over the summer… but since summer was completely taken over by Camp Shark chaos, we decided September is the perfect time to celebrate her every year!

What a fun year it has been! So many memories, laughs, events, kids, projects, and probably a few moments we already forgot about!

We are so lucky to have Valerie as our Program Coordinator and to have shared such a memorable first year together.

Happy Anniversary, Valerie! Here’s to an amazing first year and to MANY more years, memories, and adventures ahead!

Nominations are now open for A Night Among The Stars 2027! 🌟 If your organization or club has an amazing youth volunteer...
09/01/2026

Nominations are now open for A Night Among The Stars 2027! 🌟 If your organization or club has an amazing youth volunteer, nominate them for A Night Among The Stars! Nominations will close on November 15th.

You can find the nomination form linked in the comments!

It's time for another Camp Shark Highlight! ✨ Every Monday and Friday, our campers got to take trips to local restaurant...
09/01/2026

It's time for another Camp Shark Highlight! ✨ Every Monday and Friday, our campers got to take trips to local restaurants! These trips were so much fun, and our campers got to enjoy lots of good food! 🍔

Happy birthday to Ada! 🥳 Ada is one of our Camp Shark and Rascals staff members. She is a super talented slime maker and...
08/31/2026

Happy birthday to Ada! 🥳 Ada is one of our Camp Shark and Rascals staff members. She is a super talented slime maker and will always make sure kids are having fun. Have a great day! 🧁

🎨🍷 Two Organizations. One Paintbrush. Six Hours of Fun.This weekend, The Youth Center and Rotary Club of Los Alamitos, C...
08/30/2026

🎨🍷 Two Organizations. One Paintbrush. Six Hours of Fun.

This weekend, The Youth Center and Rotary Club of Los Alamitos, Cypress & Seal Beach came together for a Social Sip & Paint, and apparently, nobody told us it was supposed to be only TWO hours.

Huge thank you to Arnie and Lynda Fine for opening their beautiful home and letting us take over with paint, wine, laughter, and a whole lot of questionable artistic talent.

We were lucky to work with Saavy, a Los Alamitos High School graduate and talented artist, who patiently guided us step-by-step through our masterpieces. Some of us followed the instructions. Some of us… took creative liberties.

And a HUGE shout-out to Rotarian Tina Carey, who planned this entire event. What started as a two-hour social somehow turned into a six-hour event because everyone was having way too much fun to leave.

That’s the real magic of bringing organizations together, not just working side by side, but actually getting to know each other, laughing together, and building friendships outside of meetings and boardrooms.

Two organizations. One community. A lot of paint. Even more laughter. And apparently, absolutely no concept of time.

We’re already wondering what Tina has planned next… and slightly concerned it may turn into a 12-hour event.

Address

10761 Los Alamitos Boulevard
Los Alamitos, CA
90720

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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