Editor:

As a Casper teen I have seen the side effects of our town's limited availability of out of school activities, and how they affect the lives and minds of the everyday teenager.

Our city is growing, and with that growth I see a need for more activities for the teenage population. Movies, sports, video games and television only quench boredom a limited while.

Before long boredom leads to more illegal and immoral activities just for a change in everyday life such as partying, fighting, drinking, drugs, vandalism and a plethora of other minor to felony offenses. I myself have caved to the hunger for something new and have hurt myself and others in the process, through drinking, fighting, and destruction of property.

It is my theory that if there was more teenage-friendly activities, such as dance clubs, inexpensive organized sports, a place for local musicians and artists or even a free safe place to just hang out on the weekends, then I believe that we would likely see a decrease in teenage crime. I remember "That One Place," a dance club that existed in downtown, kept me out of rather more dangerous places and situations at times.

So what I am basically trying to convey is that the teenage population needs a source of entertainment, not only for themselves, but also for the society that must deal with them.

TREY R. BARUTH, Casper