Torus Teens

Torus Teens operates an online platform that connects teenagers with afterschool and summer programs, primarily in New York City. Founded by Cecilia Foxworthy, who serves as the CEO, the company launched in 2016 to address the gap in access to opportunities for urban youth, particularly those from low-income backgrounds. Foxworthy highlighted that participation in after-school programs can dramatically increase graduation rates for at-risk youth.

The platform allows users aged 13 and older to search for activities based on their interests and location, such as coding, arts, sports, and college prep. A key focus is to showcase free and low-cost programs to ensure that economic constraints do not limit a teenager's ability to explore their interests. The company's mission is to empower young people to discover their passions, build supportive communities, and develop skills for the future. Torus Teens started as a community-based job training program and has since evolved into a broader platform for out-of-school learning for 14-18 year olds.

As a for-profit entity, Torus Teens plans to generate revenue by potentially charging higher-priced programs for listings or by developing premium tools, such as booking solutions, for program providers. However, the core service is intended to remain free for teen users and for organizations offering low or no-cost programs. The long-term vision includes expanding to other major metropolitan areas with reliable public transit and using collected data to inform the development of new programs based on demand.

Keywords: afterschool programs, summer programs, teen opportunities, youth development, NYC youth programs, interest exploration, community building, educational platform, skill-building, college prep, job readiness, mentorship, coding bootcamps, arts programs, sports for teens, leadership development, online activity portal, youth empowerment, low-cost programs, student networking