Curing boredom

Out-of-the ordinary fun can be found at spa parties and camping.
By ZACH STIPE
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
Mahoning Valley teenagers enjoy spending time with friends, watching movies and hanging out at coffee shops, but are often bored, area teens said.
The Valley does offer a variety of activities, though.
Teens who are tired of ordinary weekends spent catching flicks or find themselves suffering from boredom should try a new activity for fun and entertainment.
Out-of-the-ordinary activities such as visiting a skate park, hosting a spa party, camping, checking out a new band at a concert or attending an Increase the Peace activity can make a dull weekend exciting.
Erin Teffco, 17 of Howland, recently had friends over for a "spa party."
Sponsored by BeautiControl, these Spa Escapes are one-hour relaxation and treatment sessions with opportunities to purchase products.
Prospective hosts contact a BeautiControl consultant, who then leads the event for the host and her friends for free.
Teffco had been to a few other spa parties with friends before deciding to host her own.
Maureen Shaffer is an executive director and Canfield consultant for BeautiControl.
"It's usually a mixed crowd," Shaffer said, of the parties. "[But] a lot of times we do it strictly for teens."
Shaffer encourages hostesses to invite, not only their friends, but also their moms, aunts and other relatives.
Hostesses receive incentives like discounted or free products.
The Escapes relax the participants and cleanse their bodies, Shaffer said. The consultants teach relaxing exercises involving breathing. Sometimes lip facials and foot scrubs are given, as well.
The consultants also teach proper skin care. After the one-hour spa is completed, participants usually purchase products and many schedule to host their own spa parties.
Those interested can check out Shaffer's Web site at www.beautipage.com/maureenshaffer.
Camping
On the opposite end of the teenage fun spectrum is camping. Many teens enjoy this outdoor activity. A short drive into Pennsylvania provides outdoor adventurers with many options.
Taryn Bigley and Valerie Hegedus will spend most of their summer working, but in their spare time, the teenagers will try to go camping as much as possible.
"Camping is awesome," Bigley said with a giant smile.
The pair, who will be seniors at Fitch this fall, enjoy camping at Pennsylvania's Cook Forest.
Bigley and Hegedus said the camp rates are inexpensive, plus they enjoy eating smores and building fires with friends.
Cook Forest, a state park located in northwestern Pa., offers a variety of different activities. Aside from camping at one of the area's many different campgrounds, Cook Forest offers hiking, rafting and canoeing.
Jesse's Dream Park, near Cook Forest in Sigel, Pa., has a driving range, batting cages and an indoor maze. At Cook Forest Fun Park in Leeper, Pa., teens can hop into bumper cars and bumper boats.
Increase the Peace
Increase The Peace, a Youngstown community coalition, will hold events this summer for area young people.
Every Friday night this summer, Increase The Peace will hold a Round Robin event with activities such as sports, video games and dancing available to youth. The events will be at a different location every week from 5 to 9 p.m.
Teenagers can also check out venues such as the Chevrolet Centre and The Cellar for concert schedules and attend sporting events.
The Mahoning Valley Scrappers, a Cleveland Indians Class A affiliate, recently had its home opener at Eastwood Field.
There are many places for teens to swim, too. Most pools, like Waddell Pool in Niles and Firestone Pool in Columbiana, have inexpensive rates.
The Mahoning Valley area offers many unique and fun activities for teens. The cure for boredom might be as simple as trying something new.