Rogers City Lifestyle teamed up with local high school journalism students on a series of articles about youth culture, business, and more. This article is part of the series, written by Jessie Varnell and Jacob Fraire from Rogers Heritage High School.
As summer heats up, local teens are finding new ways to unwind, stay active, and make their voices heard. From sipping lattes in cozy cafés to rallying around causes that matter, youth culture in Rogers is vibrant, connected and constantly evolving. Whether it's the comforting hum of Onyx Coffee Lab, the packed pickleball courts at Mount Hebron, or the growing push to destigmatize mental health through student-led clubs, Rogers youth are shaping their own culture and community.
Downtown coffee shops Onyx Coffee Lab and Iron Horse Coffee Company provide a comforting atmosphere, allowing teens the opportunity to catch up with each other and relax. Onyx stands out as a favorite, praised for its specialty drinks and aesthetics. However, with high accolades come high prices.
“Onyx is a really nice place where I can hang out with friends. As for pricing, you’re getting what you paid for. It's marked higher because it’s higher quality,” says Renata Calderon, a junior at Heritage High School.
Despite its aesthetics and top-notch coffee, people find that their prices limit the number of times they can visit.
Another hot spot for youth is the local mall, Pinnacle Hills Promenade. This mall caters to those of all ages, offering an aquarium, a movie theatre, a Dave & Buster’s Arcade, many local shops, and various restaurants. This uptown destination allows teens to have a “day-trip getaway” without going far from home.
Many are looking to stay active and get some sunshine. Over the past year, pickleball surged in popularity, piquing adolescents’ interest across Northwest Arkansas. Containing eight pickleball courts, people visit Mount Hebron to play the sport.
“Mount Hebron provides more activities to do in Rogers," says Brett Williams, an upperclassman at Rogers High School. "Pickleball is a cheap activity that family and friends can all participate in. Now that we’re in the summer season, I can go any time of day with my friends. We are all able to come together and do something we love."
Along with youth pop culture, hangouts, and shopping trips come more serious and important social matters that many teens are beginning to form opinions about and get involved in activism. One of these matters is mental health, which is considered a taboo topic by many.
A stand-out group amongst the youth of Rogers that tackles this issue is Friends of Rogers. This club has a chapter at both Rogers High School and Rogers Heritage High School. Their focus is to lower the stigma surrounding mental health and bring more awareness to mental health issues within our current society through awareness walks and fundraisers. This club has also played a large role in uniting the two high schools by allowing both groups to come together and stand for the same cause.
“All year long, Friends of Rogers has been building bridges between both high schools through walks and events dedicated to mental health awareness. What began with Max Delgado’s vision at Rogers High School has now grown across campuses, where Samuel Cline and I brought it to Heritage to keep the momentum going," says Ella Siwiec. "The truth is, mental health doesn’t have a ‘type’—anyone can be going through something, whether you see it or not. We just want to break the stigma, start real conversations, and remind people they’ve got a whole community behind them.”