A group of teens from Blake, Paint Branch and Springbrook High Schools were honored with a proclamation from Montgomery County Council Tuesday. 

The Teen Escape Club was initiated by Councilmember Nancy Navarro (D-Dist 4) in 2010 as a way to engage East County high school students in positive evening activities. 

The club, which is supervised by the department of recreation, hosts art contests, music jam sessions, video game competitions and other chances to "just munch on free snacks and talk in a safe, unpressured environment," reads the proclamation. 

Police previously identified White Oak and Briggs Chaney as among the most high-crime areas in the county and Navarro described the club as part of a comprehensive approach to lowering crime. 

“While policing is important to address the crime issues in Briggs Chaney and White Oak, positive youth engagement deters young people from committing crimes in the first place,” Navarro said last summer. “Both approaches go hand-in-hand and must be jointly pursued to completely address the issues affecting these communities.”

The proclamation recognizes the club as "a model for providing a safe and fun place that gives teens a positive outlet."