Elaina Brindley understood this and wanted to make the transition into teen-hood easier. As the director of a summer teen leadership program at the Los Gatos­Saratoga Community Education and Recreation Department, Brindley had the tools to reach teens but wanted to find a new avenue for doing so.

Now, with support from the Los Gatos Union School District, Brindley, along with staff mentors Philip Hernandez and Melissa Fales, has created "The Zone," an after-school program at Fisher Middle School that provides a structured environment for learning life skills.

To help aid adolescents in discovering their creativity as well as leadership and confidence potential, the program focuses on three primary activities.

Guest speakers are invited often to speak about everything from nutrition to positive leadership. The group participates in weekly field trips, often using this time to do community service in nearby nursing homes and day care centers. The leaders also try to emphasize group interaction, which is encouraged through activities such as performing theater skits and videotaping fun commercials.

"We are trying to make it fun but also enable the children to learn skills and values that will hopefully make the teen years easier on them," Brindley says.

The program is very aware of the special needs required by kids of such a sensitive age.

"We give them the opportunity to feel good," Brindley says. "Everybody wins here because we don't have competitive activities. We wouldn't do anything that would put them in a situation where they could feel bad."

Improvements are beginning to happen, with staff and parents already noticing positive personality changes in the students.

"It has been amazing so far," Hernandez says. "Some of the kids that have gone from the summer program to The Zone are already changing. Seeing that has had a huge impact on me."

Parents like Mary Lynn are appreciative of the changes as well.

Lynn's daughter, Sofie, was new to Fisher as an eighth-grader. Mary Lynn understood how tough it is to be new to a school at that age, so she decided to enroll her daughter in the program. "She likes it more and more every day," Lynn says. "I think it's just fantastic. They are not just babysitting these kids--they are offering them so much more."

The Zone staff hopes it will become an established program at Fisher and someday branches out into other middle schools.

"We are pretty gung-ho," Hernandez says. The program appears to be doing well as it moves into its fifth week. There are more than a dozen teens participating, with an even mix of female and male students in grades six through eight.

Hernandez and Fales are the only staff mentors at the moment, which is right on target, as Brindley explains that the ideal ratio is one mentor to 15 students. They are below that number at the moment, but Brindley expects the program size to grow rapidly, as she has been receiving new registrations every week since the program began.

"It gives the child an alternative to being a latchkey kid," Brindley says. "Parents don't have to worry about transportation in the middle of the day or where their child is."

Brindley is planning to begin Friday movie nights, providing a fun activity for teens and a night off for parents. CPR training and town-wide scavenger hunts are also in the works.

The staff acknowledge the challenges of keeping such a busy program afloat, but are very enthusiastic about the impact it could have on students.

"There is a lot of potential for this program, and a lot of need," Brindley says. "When you can make a difference, it is the best reward. That is when you know it is all worth it."

The Zone is held Monday through Friday from 3 to 6 p.m. at Fisher Middle School. Sign-ups for the program are open throughout the year; the cost is $200 per month. Call 408.354.8700 for more information.