Submitted by Judith Knott
Do we allow CATSS to roam in the library? If you’re a teen in Summit, then chances are you already know the answer—it’s yes, the more the merrier! No, we’re not running an animal shelter and we don’t have a resident kitty roaming the bookshelves—C.A.T.S.S. stands for Cool, Awesome Teen Students of Summit, and it’s an afterschool program open to middle and high school students in Summit’s public and private schools.
Since its founding in 2001 by Pat Obst, the former head of the Childrens Department at the library, and sponsored by the Summit Municipal Alliance (now known as Shaping Summit Together), C.A.T.S.S. has grown in both popularity and participation. Part of the reason behind that growth can be attributed to the woman who has been running CATSS for the last 10 months—Teen Services Librarian Jenna Ingham, or Miss Jenna as the kids call her. Jenna brings her infectious enthusiasm, creative spirit, and a youthful perspective to teen programming—something that has been put to good use since coming to the Summit Free Public Library, honing her skills working with teens in her previous role as a Youth Services Library Assistant at Caldwell Public Library. Most days, Jenna can be found in the Teen Room engaging with the students as they play games, make crafts, watch anime, and eat snacks in a relaxed and inviting environment. Jenna typically runs a ‘Teen Think Tank’ on Thursday nights at 7:00pm—it’s an opportunity for teens to brainstorm ideas for new programs, talk about books, or just chat with Jenna and other students about, well, ANYTHING. Jenna’s opinion is that the library should be a home away from home for everyone, and part of making that a reality for teens is giving them a voice and a sense of ownership in the programming. And it’s paid off—as new program ideas and a sense of community have developed in the time since Jenna has taken the reins of C.A.T.S.S.
What’s Jenna’s secret? Ask Jenna and she’ll emphasize relationship building, achieved in part through her visits to Lawton C. Johnson Middle School—hanging out in the library or having lunch in the cafeteria with the students. Her connection with the students shows in some of the creative programming she has successfully launched at the library, including an Escape Room; an “after-hours” Open-Mic Night; some fabulous and yummy food programs, such as ‘cake in a mug,’ cupcake decorating, Oreo®-stuffed strawberries, and Nutella®/Nilla Wafer® sandwich cookies. Most recently, Jenna organized a “lock-in” Fort Night that allowed the teens to build blanket forts and play board and card games after hours on December 28th, during the teens Winter Break. With so many activities, it’s no wonder that the Summit Free Public Library has become the purr-fect place for teens to kick back, relax, and spend time after school unwinding.
C.A.T.S.S. meets every day after school from 3:00-4:30 p.m. Teens interested in participating in C.A.T.S.S. are always welcome to drop in. For more information on C.A.T.S.S. or any of the Summit Free Public Library’s programs for teens, kids, and adults, call the library at 908-273-0350 or visit them online at www.summitlibrary.org. You can also find them on Facebook!
(above) Jenna Ingham, Teen Services Librarian at the Summit Free Public Library, runs the popular C.A.T.S.S. Afterschool Teen Program
