By Ashley St. Michel
Staff Writer
   Bryan Ebbrecht, a seventh grader at the Middle School of the Kennebunks, placed his feet on the center of the large plastic game control mat and prepared for his match up. As the music started, Ebbrecht jumped from front to back and side to side in an effort to dominate the dance floor.
   “I am the champion!” Ebbrecht shouted as he waved his hands wildly in the air, celebrating his Dance, Dance Revolution victory.
   The game was featured at the Kennebunk Free Library Dec. 27 for children in grades six through 12 in an effort to get them more interested in physical activity said Assistant Youth Services Librarian Suzanne O’Hara.
   O’Hara said the library decided to feature programs geared toward teens more than three years ago. The library started the Teen Advisory Board, which consists of 12 middle and high school students. O’Hara said when the board was established the focus was on teen eating disorders, standardized testing and college application assistance.
   “We are really trying to create a sense of belonging,” she said.
   O’Hara said the board was interested in gaming programs so the library began the teen gaming club, which meets every Friday afternoon. Teens can meet and hang out while enjoying games including Dungeons and Dragons and Magic: The Gathering according to O’Hara.
   Kennebunk High School freshman and board member Kyle Hall supplied the Play Station system for the library to use after the board became interested in playing Dance, Dance Revolution. The game features interactive play, as competitors use a plastic mat to mimic the movements of the dancer on the television screen with their own. Since dancers are using a mat, each competitor must remove their shoes and socks to participate. Each competition is graded on how many notes they step on correctly. If the dancer doesn’t step on the note at the right time they don’t get any points. The game comes with a variety of songs, including slow and heavy rock. O’Hara said the library used the programming funds to purchase the game and supply food.
   “I don’t particularly like these types of games,” Hall said. “But I have a few (gaming) systems at home and figured I could lend them one of mine.”
   Hall’s systems include a Play Station 2, Xbox 360, Xbox and a Game Cube.
   “I like the Halo series,” Hall said. “I tried it (Dance, Dance) and it’s a good game. I’m just not very good at it.”
   Hall added he would lend the system to the library again if they were interested and needed it.
   “I work for the teen advisory board so lending it seemed like a nice thing to do,” he said and added he spends many hours every week volunteering at the library in an effort to prepare himself for college.  
   Junior Karrie Blais, of Kennebunk, said she attended the program because she had tried the game at a friends house.
   “I tried it twice and I really liked it,” Blais said. “I like it because you get to yell back at the dude in the background.”
   Ebbrecht attributed his natural dancing ability to another game which is similar to Dance, Dance Revolution.
   “I own Dance Factory, which is very similar to Dance, Dance,” he said. “I enjoy playing these games because they really give you a workout. You can play this game for 30 minutes a day, three days a week and get just as good of a workout as running.”
   Seventh grader Beniam Hollman said he came to the program to hang out with a few people he knows and to test the game himself.
   “I really like playing the game,” he said. “And I enjoy coming to the library to hang out.”
   O’Hara joined the children in the competition and said the game looks a lot easier than it really is.
   O’Hara said the board plans on continuing to host events for children in grades six through 12 as long as they are interested. She added the board is always looking for ways to coordinate some of the programs with the children’s learning curriculum. O’Hara said this program has the added bonus of being extremely interactive, so the children aren’t just sitting on the couch with controllers.   
   “They are really important to us,” O’Hara said. “And a growing population of teens are coming to the library to hang out. Once we get them connected here, they return.”  

To contact Ashley St. Michel, call 282-4337 ext. 228 or email news@kennebunkpost.com.