Rocksolid Origin Story

In 2002, Rocksolid Teen Center was dreamt up by Bethel Church members, when several organizations in Clark County recognized a need to get kids off the streets in the Battle Ground community. "Rocksolid was started to get kids off the streets," explained Director Emeritus Kari Otos.

Then, during a Board meeting in 2002 a monumental donation from Julia Nelson's estate was brought in, which ended up being enough to start the renovation of what is now the Teen Center! While Rocksolid is community based, Bethel Lutheran church is kind enough to donate their basement space to use.

Since then, Rocksolid has served thousands of teens from all walks of life and all areas of Clark County.

But what has kept Rocksolid going?

We asked two of our Directors Emeritus,, “What keeps you motivated to keep this organization going?” Here was their response:

Lori Lindberg stated, “I am driven to continue to help because I realize the huge impact we have made in the lives of youth and there is no other program in our area.”

Kari Otos had a similar response, saying, “It's the success of the children who have benefitted from attending RSTC. Changing one child's life for the better is worth it. Every year I go to the Auction, I see the testimonials and see the impact on the media posts. Such important work you do.” This past Auction, we got to hear from a former teen, Conner Gibson, along with releasing "Hayden and Tim’s Rocksolid Bond'' during National Mentoring Month. These are just two examples of the huge impact Rocksolid has had.

“The theme I still see is the love our staff & volunteers have for our community youth and the fun the teens continue to have at Rocksolid,” Lindberg said.

With values centered on Empowerment, Learning, Inclusiveness, Mentorship, Connection, Empowerment and FUN, Rocksolid continues to thrive as a beacon of hope and opportunity for teens. 

As we look to the future, we are inspired by the countless stories of transformation and the enduring love and dedication of our staff and volunteers. Rocksolid is more than just a place—it's a place to transform lives through positive youth development, mentorship and growth.