NORCROSS — In an eagle’s nest, the goal for every eaglet is to reach its full potential and be able to soar.

The Eagle’s Nest at the A. Worley Brown Boys & Girls Club will have the same goal for the teenagers it will serve, said Nancy Brown Markham, the daughter of the club’s namesake.

“It will provide an environment where (the teens) can grow and where they can strengthen so they will be ready to soar when they graduate from this place,” Markham said.

The A. Worley Brown Boys & Girls Club had a groundbreaking ceremony Thursday for its new teen center, which will allow the Norcross club to serve more teenagers.

“It’s a dream come true for the teens ... to have a place of their own,” said Desmond Brown, the executive director of the A. Worley Brown Boys & Girls Club.

Brown said the teen center will be “a club within the club.” The new center will give the teens more space for programs and will feature a game room, multimedia room and art room.

Club member Alexandrea Vereen, 17, said she thinks the addition of the teen center will keep the younger children involved in the club.

“This gives them something to look forward to when they get older,” she said.

Skylyn Rogers, 17, said he’s looking forward to being in the teen center. He’s been a club member since the end of fifth grade.

“(I joined the club) knowing it’s somewhere positive, somewhere I could learn and be productive after school,” he said.

The club raised $950,000 to build the teen center. Major donors included Lou Brown Jewell, the widow of A. Worley Brown; the Scott Hudgens Family Foundation and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Norcross Mayor Bucky Johnson said the club’s expansion efforts will help strengthen the community.

“I know the importance of both education and activities to the youth and their future,” said Johnson, a former educator and band director. “The sees that you’re planing today may not come to fruition for many years ... but this facility will help nurture and grow.”

The A. Worley Brown Boys & Girls Club, which opened in 2001, serves more than 925 students in the Norcross area. About 140 teens attend programs daily, and the new teen center will also the club to serve more students aged 13 to 18.