But the Sharks Foundation's $8,000 grant to A Place for Teens for new flooring at its popular Outhouse facility makes perfect sense.

According to Lee Fagot, co-president of A Place for Teens, the grant will help the organization replace worn-out carpet with a colored concrete floor—the most costly part of current renovations to the building.

The Outhouse, which sits behind Los Gatos High School, serves as a teen center, computer lab and concert venue. Its parent organization is governed by a board of directors made up of nearly equal numbers of adults and teenage students.

Sharks Foundation Director Rob Jaynes said A Place for Teens was one of 27 grant recipients last year. The foundation gives exclusively to youth programs in Santa Clara County.

"Last year, we got 120-plus applications," Jaynes said. "We look at how we can have the greatest impact across the valley, and Los Gatos is obviously in our backyard."

Fagot said the center will also receive new interior and exterior paint, video games and computers. The site is currently closed for renovations until a grand reopening Aug. 20, in time for Los Gatos High School's freshman orientation the following week.

Fagot said the new flooring, paint and equipment will be a welcome change to the decade-old facility.

"This was all funded through donations," Fagot said. "The property is owned by A Place for Teens, but it was built through the donations of parents."

Though large grants from donors such as the Sharks and the Valley Foundation help with major projects like the facility upgrade, Fagot said gifts from community members help keep the site running, too.

"The Valley Foundation gave us $15,000 last year," he said. "They have granted, in the past, up to $25,000. But we've had donations as small as five bucks."

In addition to The Outhouse's physical modifications, its programming and administration are in the midst of change, too.

"The Los Gatos­Saratoga Recreation Department has formed a partnership with A Place for Teens," said Mike Loya, recreation coordinator with the department and the new Outhouse director. "We're going to provide supervision ... but it's still going to be run by teens."

Loya said the partnership would allow the teen center to offer additional classes and programming. Currently, it hosts classes in a variety of areas, such as skills development and financial planning. But he said that offering could expand to include courses like sushi preparation and guitar instruction.

A Place for Teens' board members will vote on new programming at their next meeting. Also up for discussion will be the possibility of a renaming contest for The Outhouse.

Board member Cathy Miller said the board is now recruiting new members due to vacancies left by graduating seniors and their parents. She said the renovations and other changes should help with that recruitment.

"Now, with the collaboration with the rec department, we want to make sure it's refurbished before the freshmen come in," Miller said. "We're coming into the new high school year hoping to attract more teens and adult board members."

For more information about joining A Place for Teens' board of directors, contact 408.395.5553.