A place to ‘have fun, relax and feel included.’ Spot will be a winner with JoCo teens

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A place to ‘have fun, relax and feel included.’ Spot will be a winner with JoCo teens

Su Bacon
·3 min read

What’s way better than empty hallways after school?

How about a place filled with friends, snacks, music, games and creative arts activities.

It’d be even better if it was within walking distance of school and also offered help with homework.

Such a place is opening soon one mile east of Shawnee Mission North High School. It’s called Tyler’s House KC and it’s designed for teens by teens.

“It’s a place where you can have fun, relax and feel included,” said Samantha Morinville, 17, a junior at Shawnee Mission North.

Samantha is one of eight members on the Tyler’s House Student Leadership Team. The students are helping design the 1,700-square-foot space — which will include a snack bar, a black box theater, study nooks and a food pantry — and plan the activities that will take place there such as acoustic music night, movies, karaoke and poetry readings.

Everything will be free.

Tyler’s House began as a vision of Cori Hastings, a Shawnee Mission North parent, who wanted to create a safe place for students to go after school.

Planning began in November of 2019 and by the end of March this year, Tyler’s House KC had a location at 5903 Johnson Drive in Mission. Volunteers have been working hard to transform retail space into a coffee bar-like setting to serve students.

“We’ll offer meals, tutoring, mentoring and creative arts therapies to promote mental health,” Hastings said.

She named the nonprofit to honor the memory of a 10-year-old son of one of her best friends. He died in 2003.

For many years, Hastings accompanied Shawnee Mission North choral director Juli O’Mealey Simmons on the piano. Now, they’re working together on Tyler’s House. Simmons is president of the nonprofit’s board of directors.

When the last bell of the school day rang, Simmons recalled talking to students who weren’t involved in an after-school activity and who couldn’t go home because they couldn’t yet drive and had to wait on a ride.

“I saw students sitting in hallways doing homework,” Simmons said. “Grade school and middle school have good after-care but there was nothing for high school students.”

Arts will play an important role in the activities.

“We know how the arts can help people connect and help their mental health,” Hastings said.

Alex Coddington, a 2016 graduate of Shawnee Mission North, is among those planning how the space will best suit the interests and needs of high school students.

Coddington, 22, said Tyler’s House would have made a difference when she was in school.

“I had friends who struggled with mental health issues — depression and suicide attempts,” she said. “I wish we had had a place like Tyler’s House where they would feel comfortable coming to.”

Jocelyn Bennett, president of the school’s PTSA, agrees.

“Kids need a place to go where they can get services they wouldn’t ask for,” she said.

Although they had no physical meeting space this year, the students participated in several socially distanced activities throughout the year.

“We had yoga in the park, a photo shoot, virtual cookie decorating during the holidays,” said Kailey Green, a senior.

“Tyler’s House is such a positive group of people.”

Students will be encouraged to pursue their artistic talents at Tyler’s House. Green, for example, was given a scholarship for voice lessons with Hastings. And a student-painted mural will brighten the largest wall of Tyler’s House.

The arts also will help heal when necessary through drama therapy, journaling, painting, singing and other expressions of creativity.

Tyler’s House is funded by grants, individual and corporate donations and its own fund-raising efforts. An online auction in April raised $3,500. Currently an online housewarming is underway where donations can be made to purchase furniture and other equipment needed to complete the space.

Tyler’s House KC will hold an open house June 19 during the Mission Business District sidewalk sale. Tyler’s House KC, 5903 Johnson Drive, Mission, Kansas; www.tylershousekc.org. info@tylershousekc.org.

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