While Meredith Dahl is totally impressed with Brandon Boyer's ability to perform tricks such as a blunt-ollie-out and a 180-early-grab, she confesses that she knows very little about the sport from which the moves are spawned.

"I've tried skateboarding a few times," said Dahl with a slight blush. "But I'm not very good at it."

Boyer, a 16-year-old sophomore at Garden Spot High School, has been practicing his moves since elementary school. For the past seven years, he has been using the ramps and equipment provided by the Cross Connection Youth Center in New Holland.

Dahl, who has been the center's executive director since March, said she finds herself marveling at the daring moves and stunts performed by many of her organization's youngest members inside the center's Franklin Street location.

Since its inception in 1988 as an outreach of East Earl's Weaverland Mennonite Church, Cross Connection's goal has been to try and relate to area youths in a Christian environment. For many years, they have done this by providing and maintaining a skate park.

Until about three years ago, the skate area was located in an outdoor space provided by an area business. But when that business decided it needed the land to improve its customer parking, Cross Connection began exploring other ideas.

"It was clear to those involved at the time that the skate park was still needed," Dahl said. "There were other parks in the area, but not so close that the kids couldn't get there without a driver's license or someone to chauffer them."

The organization found an old farm house that had been converted into apartments. With the help of churches, businesses and individual donors, the center was able to acquire the property, gut it, and rebuild its skate ramps indoors.

Today, Dahl estimates that around 175 kids utilize the program, which is now incorporated as a nonprofit governed by an independent board of directors.

Typically, the center hosts around 30-or-so on any given night.

"Some weekends, we see 75 kids come in off the street to join us," Dahl said.

And while skateboarding is the biggest draw, the center also offers other recreational opportunities, such as pool parties, barbecues, bike rides and trips to Lancaster Barnstormers baseball games.

Because the facility is founded on Christian principles, Dahl, who holds a degree in Bible studies from Lancaster Bible College, offers spiritual counseling and discipleship to anyone who wants it.

Bible studies are offered on a regular basis, but a declaration of Christian belief is not a requirement to participate in any Cross Connection program.

"In just the few months I've been here, I have seen some of our youth come to Christ," Dahl said. "But we don't put any pressure on them."

Boyer, who is still undecided about his faith, said he comes to Cross Connection because he is allowed to do his thing in peace. He and his friend, 17-year-old Eric Refford, have both attended Bible studies together.

"It's given me a lot to think about," said Refford, who is also undecided on his faith. "And I do consider everything I hear."

Both say the relationships among Cross Connection youths is a mostly positive one.

"Sometimes, there's drama," Boyer said. "But it's nothing compared to the drama being created outside these doors."

As she listened to the boys speak, Dahl said the honesty and candor demonstrated by Boyer and Refford are exactly what makes the center so special to her.

"These young people are very honest about what they believe and what they don't believe," said Dahl, who also studied youth ministries in college. "They are very real in expressing where they are at in their lives."

Some lives are experiencing very difficult times.

"It's very difficult to hear what some of these kids are living through," Dahl said. "But I try to tell them that God loves them and takes them as they are."

In time, Dahl is hoping to expand the services offered at Cross Connection. Ultimately, she would like to see a tutoring program that would help students in school and a mentoring program that would help students deal with life issues.

She would also like to see the center reach out with parent education programs and, perhaps, senior center activities.

For now, she and her husband Jon, who also volunteers at the center, spend most of their waking hours at the disposal of New Holland's youths.

"These kids have a lot of heavy issues on their minds like love, relationships, suicide and death," Dahl said. "And as long as I'm here I want to make sure there is always a safe forum, either one-on-one or in group studies, for our kids to discuss what they are feeling."

CROSS CONNECTION YOUTH CENTER

• Hours of operation: Tuesday through Friday, 3 to 6 p.m.; Friday, 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. for round-table discussions and again from 6 to 9:30 p.m. for recreation; Saturdays, 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

• Needs: Financial gifts, couches, 50 folding chairs, a 6-foot dry erase board, a ping pong table, a video projector, a video game system with controllers, games and monitors; and someone to restore a pool table.

• To learn more: Call Meredith Dahl at (717) 354-2454; stop by youth facility, 127 W. Franklin St., New Holland.; or visit newhollandcross.org.