The East River Community Center is the place to be this summer, according to many local kids who live in Harlem's lower east side.

Laura Gibbs has been running the center since it first opened 21 years ago. "I have seen many young faces come and go," she said. This is due in part to the fact that the center attracts many new members as word spreads throughout the East River area, she says. An estimated 25 students come in and out of the Center every day of the week except the weekends.

One current member, seven-year old Adrianna Colon, has been a part of the center for two years and likes the game room and group activities.

"I like going on trips and reading with the center," said Taylor Corley, another seven-year old Harlem resident who has also been a part of the Center for two years.

The East River Community Center runs all year-round and offers many things to it's members such as homework help, game rooms, boys and girls scouts activities, video production, cooking classes, poetry sessions and reading rooms.

The Center also has a radio show called "Kids Discovery" which airs only in the East River location (105 to 102nd street on 1st Ave) at 7pm bi-weekly. Kids who are apart of the program get the chance to speak about different issues that may affect them in their everyday life. The East River Community Center is now focusing on having the access for listeners to call in and speak to the kids personally. People find out about the radio show from either word of mouth or fliers that are pasted out through the East River area.

Also coming out of the center are other programs which coach kids in their everyday life. One program called S.T.O.P (Stop Taking Our People), helps kids deal with police and strangers in the street. During the summer, trips are also setup to give kids a joyful time.

Over the last couple of years, members of the center also had the chance to visit the NBA Hall of Fame. The NBA Hall of Fame is located in Connecticut Mass. The Center tries to set up at least one trip to the Hall of Fame every year. Funding is given to the East River Community Center through the New York City Housing Authority.

The program has an age range of nine through 12-years old early in the day and 13 through 19-years old during later hours.

You can reach the East River Community Center at: