OREGON, Ill. (WTVO) — Paula Porter is opening the After Teen Lounge, a space dedicated to being fun and relaxing for area teens looking for a place to hang out after school.
“Having teenagers myself, I always have kids asking me when they can come over and just hang out at my house,” Porter said. “So that kind of gave us the idea of just creating a bigger space for them to go hang out.”
The lounge occupies the site of a former axe-throwing business. Porter, who serves as a substitute teacher at Oregon High School, developed the concept to create a judgment-free environment where teens can escape the daily pressures of academics and social expectations…