A Space Paterson’s Teens Can Count On: Inside Our Great Falls Youth Center

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One in three New Jersey high school students say they would join an afterschool program — if only one were available. That’s one of the most striking findings from the recent New Jersey After 3PM survey, underscoring a simple but urgent reality: too many teens lack access to safe, supportive spaces after school.

For Paterson students, NJCDC's Great Falls Youth Center fills that gap — a place where young people come not only for homework help or a meal, but to feel seen, supported, and empowered.

Built for Paterson’s High School Students

Before the Great Falls Youth Center opened, Paterson lacked a dedicated space for older teens — one that stayed open into the evening and offered programming aligned with their interests and needs. The building at 52 Front Street — a former American Legion Hall constructed in 1954 — was transformed to meet that gap.

Today, our Youth Center functions less like a drop-in program and more like a shared living room for the city’s high schoolers. Students arrive to do homework, eat dinner, work on creative projects, attend workshops, or simply spend time together in a space that feels steady and familiar.

The layout reflects that balance. Upstairs, students move between homework tables, game areas, and the kitchen, where cooking classes and shared meals happen regularly. Downstairs, a computer lab supports academic work and digital learning, while a sound studio allows young people to experiment with music production and audio engineering.

In 2023, an expansion added multipurpose space and a podcast studio, allowing the Center to accommodate a growing number of participants without losing the sense of closeness that defines it.

Programs Shaped by Students

Programming at NJCDC’s Great Falls Youth Center evolves in response to student interests. Some offerings remain consistent year after year — homework help, mentoring, fitness activities — while others shift as interests change.

Music, culinary arts, digital media, and entrepreneurship programs run alongside sports, wellness, and creative writing workshops. Students take part in podcasting and video projects, including NJCDC’s The Loft podcast, and contribute to youth arts initiatives that span visual art, performance, and spoken word.

Field trips and special events extend learning beyond the building — from college visits and museum trips to recreational outings that let students explore new spaces together.

What ties it all together: continuity. Many students return day after day, year after year — and often remain connected even after graduating.

A Place That Removes Barriers

The Center’s role in students’ lives is shaped not only by what happens inside the building, but by what it intentionally removes.

Programs are free. Meals are served nightly. Transportation home is available during the week, and staff members reflect the community, supporting families in multiple languages. The space is open after school, on Saturdays, during the summer, and on days when schools are closed.

Those details matter — especially for teens navigating busy schedules, family responsibilities, and few safe, structured places to spend time.

Growing Alongside the Community

As attendance has grown, so has the need for space — particularly for physical activity and large group programming.

That need is now being addressed through a major expansion project underway in partnership with the City of Paterson. At 54 Front Street, adjacent to the existing Youth Center, NJCDC is developing the Great Falls Recreation Center — a new indoor recreation facility with a gymnasium and additional programming space.

NJCDC staff, city leadership, and community members gathered to mark the demolition of the long-unused structure on the site — a symbolic step toward what comes next. When complete, the new facility will allow the Youth Center to better support recreation, wellness, and community gatherings, further anchoring the space as a long-term resource for Paterson’s youth.

What’s Happening Now

The Center’s calendar reflects its dual role: a youth space and a family-connected one.

This February, the Center will host Valen-Fam Day™, a family gathering celebrating connection, appreciation, and community across generations. Later that week, the GFYC Got Talent Show brings students together to share creative work and perform for peers, family, and guest judges — an annual highlight that builds both celebration and confidence.

Daily programming includes STEAM workshops — recently expanded from summer-only to year-round in response to student demand — as well as writing sessions, boxing, yoga, and mentoring.

An Open Door

Enrollment at the Great Falls Youth Center is open year-round, free, with no deadlines. Students can join at any point by submitting our enrollment form [English | Spanish] or by stopping by in person.

For many Paterson teens, the Center is one of the few places they can reliably count on after the school day ends. Over time, that consistency has become its greatest strength — not just a program, but a presence.