About TOTALS
Totals (Teen Life Skills Group)
Totals is a teen-run initiative hosted at the Libraries. We create a space where teens don’t just sit and listen, but belong. A space where your child feels like it's okay to try, mess up, laugh, and grow together.
Our Mission:
Middle and high school can feel overwhelming. there’s the pressure to succeed, to fit in, and to have everything figured out, even when you don’t. We started TOTALS because we realized something important: no one really teaches you how to be ready for these difficult years of your life.
Our mission is to give teens practical life skills in a way that feels supportive, empowering, and real, so they can walk away not just knowing more, but believing in themselves more.
What We Do:
We run 1-hour weekly sessions for students. Each 4 week course focuses on essential life skills, from communication and teamwork to healthy habits and decision-making. Every session includes:
A short 15 min mini lesson
Hands on activities that bring the lessons to life
But the heart of TOTALS isn’t the lecture, it’s the laughter during our activities, the teamwork during challenges, the excitement after winning bingo, and the quiet confidence students walk out with. Student’s don’t just learn skills. They practice speaking up. They learn to work with others. They discover they’re more than capable of anything they put their mind to.
Who It’s For:
Totals is for late elementary to early high school students (ages 10–16) who want a place to grow — whether they’re shy, outgoing, unsure, confident, or somewhere in between.
It’s for the student who wants to make friends.
For the one who wants to feel more prepared.
For the one who just needs a space where they feel seen.
How It Started:
Totals began as a solo project at the Santa Teresa Branch Library. It started small — one idea, one room, one group of students.
After two successful runs in January–February and April–May 2025, averaging 10–12 students each week, something amazing happened: the impact grew. Word spread. Students came back.
Today, Totals has reached 300+ students, expanded to 4 libraries, completed 16 program runs, and grown into a team of 7 student leaders — all because one small idea turned into a community.
What We Stand For:
Learning by doing
Confidence through practice
Leadership by teens, for teens
Growth without pressure
Community over competition
We believe every teen deserves the chance to build skills before the world expects them to already have them.
Get Involved:
If you’re ready to grow, connect, and build skills that actually matter — we’d love to have you.
Join our next session here: []
Because growing up shouldn’t feel like something you have to do alone.
