The Wilson-Gray YMCA Youth & Family Center, in collaboration with Best Buy and The Clubhouse Network, proudly presents the Best Buy Teen Tech Center. Located at 444 Albany Avenue, our center offers a dynamic array of technology and multimedia resources. Teens can engage in music and video production, interactive programming, digital photography, graphic design, digital animation, and more.
We are thrilled to announce the reopening of the Best Buy Teen Tech Center, now under the direction of Nekita Waller, our Program Director. With extensive experience in Hartford's nonprofit sector, including roles at Girl Scouts of Connecticut, The Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts , and The Alliance for Bloomfield's Children. Nekita was also appointed as the 17th Connecticut State Troubadour where she has been able to use this platform to connect with schools and children who face unequal opportunities. At the Wilson-Gray Best Buy Teen Tech Center, she intends to harness her passion for arts, music, and technology to facilitate meaningful connections for our youth within the Hartford community that we all support. Here at the Wilson-Gray Best Buy Teen Tech Center, we are nurturing a new generation of youth leaders who excel in this innovative and creative tech environment.
The Teen Tech Center aims to provide a stimulating and collaborative learning environment where teenagers explore technology, discover new passions, and prepare for their futures. Utilizing a learner-centered approach developed by The Clubhouse Network, our center encourages teens to design and create projects aligned with their interests. Whether it's art, music production, animation, mobile app development, interactive storytelling, robotics, or 3D design, participants gain fluency in new technologies while fostering creativity and essential career skills.
Research underscores that adolescents learn best when engaged in hands-on, project-based learning. Our model combines self-directed exploration with structured guidance, ensuring teens have access to the tools and support needed to experiment, innovate, and succeed. Key principles such as learning by design, following personal interests, building community, and fostering a climate of respect and trust are foundational to our approach.
The physical space of the Teen Tech Center is designed to inspire creativity and collaboration, featuring clustered computers, central gathering areas, ergonomic seating, studio lighting, and dedicated spaces for display and reflection. We welcome youth aged 13-19 to join us during our operating hours:
Summer Hours
• Monday 1:00-7:00 pm
• Tuesday 1:00-7:00 pm
• Wednesday 1:00-7:00 pm
• Thursday 1:00- 7:00 pm
• Friday 1:00-7:00 pm
Fall Hours
• Monday 3:00-7:00 pm
• Tuesday 3:00-7:00 pm
• Wednesday 3:00-7:00 pm
• Thursday 3:00- 7:00 pm
• Friday 3:00-7:00 pm
Our location is the Wilson-Gray YMCA Youth & Family Center:
444 Albany Avenue
Hartford, Connecticut 06120
Come discover, create, and grow with us at the Best Buy Teen Tech Center.