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Best Buy Teen Tech Center gives teens access to technology

The Pillsbury United Communities Brian Coyle Best Buy Teen Tech Center opened in Minneapolis in 2017.

MINNEAPOLIS — In Minneapolis, there is a place where young people can go to have an opportunity to dream big. 

A place where they can use technology they might otherwise not have access to. 

This is the Pillsbury United Communities Brian Coyle Best Buy Teen Tech Center.

Credit: KARE
Pillsbury United Communities Brian Coyle Best Buy Teen Tech Center in Minneapolis.

"We specifically serve youth between the age of 12-and-18," Technology Coordinator Alyssa Costopoulos said. "We have youth coming from every different background."

Here, teens can learn about things like virtual reality, drones, 3D printing, music recording and more. 

The chance to learn about technology at the center has helped many teens discover new talents. 

"A lot of youth come with their own goals and we really as mentors in this space our job is to find out what the goals of individual youth are and to help them achieve those goals," Costopoulos said.

One young person at the center said that what they do there is try to make their dream come true. 

Credit: KARE

Learning about the technology also helps the teens develop life skills they'll need to be successful. 

Best Buy says that more than 80 percent of all jobs will require tech skills by 2020.

"Since I started coming here...it helps me with my grades and it helps me with technology," one young person said. 

"Personally, I don't feel comfortable with trying new stuff. I feel if I didn't come here, I would have just been a shy person," another young person said. 

At an age that can be awkward, it's a place teens say they feel comfortable being themselves.

Credit: KARE

The center has been a positive influence in the community. 

"We have youth that grew up in the program at Brian Coyle Center and have now come back as college-age volunteers to help us run the programming here," Costopoulos said.

A young person who uses the center described it as a second home.  

What is better than a safe place to help shape futures and make new friends.

Credit: KARE

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