T.O. teens want more fun things to do
By Sabrina Samedi Special to the Acorn

BILL SPARKES/Acorn Newspapers FAR FROM BEING BORED- - Guneet Kaleka, 15, left, and Katie Frank, 15, of Newbury Park volunteer three hours twice a week at the Newbury Park Library. Guneet is also taking tennis lessons and a philosophy course at Moorpark College. Katie is taking classes on making video games, geometry and ceramics. The two say they're so busy they hardly have time to see movies with their friends.

When it comes to entertainment and recreation for teenagers, Conejo Valley has limited options. Going to a mall or a movie are popular choices, almost by default.

And when access to transportation is an issue, teens who live in the San Fernando Valley have a greater variety of venues nearby.

"For fun, I pretty much just hang out with my friends by going bowling," said Jerome Tolentino, an El Camino High School senior. Bowling, he said, is a "cool way to just get out of the house and kick back with a group of friends."

The closest bowling alley to Thousand Oaks is in Simi Valley.

Going to a park is an easy option in Thousand Oaks, and it's cheap and fun.

"My friends and I sometimes go the park across from my house and simply act like little kids again," said Westlake High School senior Danielle Benson. "We just have a great time playing on the swings, talking and laughing."

Music is also a popular choice.

"When I'm not grounded, I party with friends and love to meet new people," said Ashley Ormsby, a WHS senior. "I've gone to so many concerts this summer. They're the best place to be."

Several shopping centers, including Janss Marketplace, The Lakes and The Promenade, feature music groups on different evenings throughout the summer.

"On Saturday nights, my friends and I like to come up to the Westlake Promenade and have fun listening to the different bands that perform, and then we usually go to a movie, dinner or just get Coldstone's," said freshman Sarah Askari of El Camino Real High School.

Staying in shape is also a popular pastime. Jogging close to home or visiting a fitness center is easy almost everywhere in Southern California.

Teens with driver's licenses and access to a vehicle have more options. Choices include trips to Malibu or Zuma Beach or possibly even longer excursions to Santa Monica, Santa Barbara or even San Diego.

The Thousand Oaks Teen Center seems to have lost favor with older kids because many of its events attract mostly middle school students. High school teenagers often find themselves stuck: They're too old for activities aimed at younger teens and they're too young for the freedom that college students enjoy.

"I wish we had a local nightclub strictly for high school students . . . so that we could go out, dance, have fun and still be in a safe environment," said Bre Vergess, a WHS junior.

"I wish the Westlake/Thousand Oaks community had another local carnival or Conejo Valley Days during the summer," said Haeley Moore, another WHS junior. "Even though it's summer, I still don't want to drive and be stuck in traffic for three hours to get to Disneyland. We need a local yearround amusement or water park," she said.

Sabrina Samedi, an intern at the Acorn, will be a senior this fall at Westlake High School.