The New York Public Library hosted its second annual Teen Takeover on October 28th, 2023 from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library.
The event, open to 13 to 19 year olds, draws teens from across the city and is meant to help them connect with each other. Along with a costume contest, games, teen DJs, and more, community organizations such as OneLove, Building Beats, and the Paley Center for Media had tables at the event to help attendees find new opportunities across New York City.
“My main goal in creating this event was to find a way for teens to take ownership and find joy in this coveted and treasured public space,” said Ricci Yuhico, managing librarian in young adult services for the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library and organizer of the Teen Takeover.
An event like the Teen Takeover relies on the efforts of teen volunteers at the New York Public Library, Yuhico said.
“Here at the Teen Center in the library, we have a strong teen volunteer cohort that informs the programs and services that we offer here — and the Teen Takeover is the big project for the fall,” Yuhico explained.
The event not only gives attendees a night filled with different activities and opportunities but helps the teens who organize the event learn new skills and become more involved in the community.
“Additionally, it gives the teen volunteers a chance to see what it’s like to produce a large-scale event and amplify their voices and interests with the Library,” Yuhico said.
While the event is meant for all teens, Fort Hamilton students were part of those who attended the Teen Takeover.
“I heard about Teen Takeover by seeing the poster outside the Fort library,” said Emma DiDonato, a senior at Fort Hamilton and Teen Takeover attendee.
Among her favorite parts of the night was working on puzzles that were prepared by the New York Public Library as an activity and bonding with other attendees while working on it.
“My favorite part of the event was just getting to talk to everyone there,” DiDonato explained. “When I was working on a puzzle that was laid out, several people came over and we got to talk and work together which was really nice.”
Fort Hamilton’s library often uses its resources to expose students to events happening inside and outside of the school building.
“By publishing event fliers on its digital signage, the library helps to expose 600-700 students daily to programs such as [the Teen Takeover]. In addition, the library will print full-scale color posters for library-related events – even public library-related events – and hang them in the halls for others to see,” said Mr. Robert Nelson, librarian at Fort Hamilton.
Mr. Nelson also talked about how important it is for students to get involved inside and outside of Fort Hamilton by attending events like the Teen Takeover.
“In both my professional and personal opinion, student involvement in community events and groups is vital to developing a young person’s sense of civic and personal responsibility,” Mr. Nelson explained. “Being involved in one’s community at an early age is the foundation for a healthy and strong commitment to your neighbors and the place in which you live.”
Looking at next year’s Takeover, DiDonato expressed her interest in going again.
“I was super excited to [go to Teen Takeover] and it was a lot of fun,” DiDonato said.
