Newport Teen Center Helps Kids With Down Syndrome

By: Lauren Adiova

A teen learning center created for young teens with Down syndrome celebrated its role in the community over the weekend in Newport Beach.

The Down Syndrome Foundation of Orange County's Teen Learning Center, located on Quail Street, opened its door on Sunday for its monthly Teen Time program. Officials said the program is designed for kids ages 11 - 15 with Down syndrome. It provides an after-school social and educational club that includes tutoring, social skills building and the opportunity for the kids to make new friends.

“We have the center broken up for the kids so that they learn how to do multiple step activities, like cooking, and then take the activities home so that they can share it with their families," Courtney Boitano, the foundation's occupational therapist, explained. "And we always start with a social skills activity. It’s really about getting them to have these different experiences to help develop new interests for them.”

The Learning Teen Center serves about 20 kids each month. The Girl Scouts and Junior League of Orange County have partnered with the Down Syndrome Foundation to participate in the monthly Teen Time program.   

"They get really excited to come and see their friends because some of them don’t go to the same school, so they look forward to seeing each other," Boitano said. "We’ve had a consistent group coming and it’s great that they keep getting excited to come.”    

The Down Syndrome Foundation has been hosting Teen Time programs for the last two years.

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