A move nearly tripled this nonprofit’s space, delighting the teens who embrace it

It’s a Thursday afternoon. School is out for the day and dinner is hours away.

High school sophomores Alastor Reynolds and Clementine Gogol are singing and playing instruments in the music room of Tyler’s House in Mission. Alastor is on ukulele and Clementine plays guitar.

In an adjoining room, Holden Churchill, 17, a senior at Shawnee Mission North, is learning from a clown about the value of a perspective that’s different. Students are enjoying the spaciousness that comes from a new 4,200-square-foot space. In mid-October, Tyler’s House moved to the lower level of 6200 Johnson Drive — three blocks west of its original location.

“Our vision is the same,” said Cori Hastings, executive director. “But now we can accommodate more students and offer more of what the students want to do.”

Hastings founded Tyler’s House in 2021 to create a safe place for high school students after school — especially those who didn’t have extracurricular activities, who had to wait in an empty hallway for a ride home or who just needed a place to feel accepted.

Holden described Tyler’s House as a “place where I can hang out with friends and be myself.”

Being who you are was part of the lesson being taught by Erik J. Pratt, known in the clown world as Blipey.

“Clowns are outsiders but that’s not a bad thing,” Pratt said. “If we see something that is not ‘normal,’ we can realize that there is a place for that.”

Students at nearby Shawnee Mission North often walk or bike to Tyler’s House. The site is gaining popularity with students from other high schools as well.

Ukulele-player Alastor comes from Sumner Academy of Arts and Science in Kansas City, Kansas, to join her friend Clementine from Shawnee Mission East High School.

Previously, the two worked together at a summer theater camp.

“We became friends through Tyler’s House,” Clementine said, noting they’re hoping to start a band with other students. “We want to give back for all the support Tyler’s House has given us.”

After school from Tuesday through Friday, Tyler’s House brings together teens who want to share their talents, learn new skills, make friends, get help with homework and enjoy snacks. From ice cream to microwave pizza to dinner on Fridays, there’s always something to eat.

And it’s all free. Tyler’s House is a nonprofit and does not charge for programs, services or food.

The move nearly tripled Tyler’s House space. More than $10,000 worth of renovations helped transform former offices into a cohesive space. Yet to be finished are a kitchen where culinary arts and nutrition can be taught and a sensory room designed to be a quiet place to decompress.

Ash Mann, Hasting’s executive assistant, has seen the attendance and interest grow over the last two years.

“More students were coming through the doors and we needed to expand the makerspace area and offer more programs,” Mann said. “It means a lot to students to have a place they can rely on with trusted adults and like-minded peers.”

This story was originally published November 13, 2024 at 5:00 AM.