WESTBROOK – Heather Northrop, the program director at Mission Possible Teen Center in Westbrook, has announced she is leaving for a school counseling job in Lewiston.

Northrop has been with the teen center since an undergraduate internship in 2006, she said. Three years ago, she became program director.

In that time, she said she has built rapport with the community, from the schools to the police department. She has been involved in implementing nutrition classes, “mommy and me” courses and seminars featuring Sexual Assault Services of Southern Maine and the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland, as well as recruiting volunteers and a wide range of other projects at the teen center.

Mission Possible is an after-school drop-in center that provides access to activities, mentoring relationships and supportive systems for teens.

Evelyn Blanchard, executive director, said she is sad to see Northrop go but happy she is pursuing a career more closely aligned to her education.

“She’s been a great part of our team here. The teens are very connected to her,” she said.

Northrop said she studied social work at the University of New England. She lives in Cumberland and said she will miss the Westbrook community.

“Everyone is always so willing to help,” she said. “It’s like a family here.”

She intends to stay on at the teen center for five hours a week. Blanchard said money is tight and youth worker Alisha Petrucci, who joined the staff in the fall, would be taking on some of Northrop’s responsibilities.

Blanchard said she intends to hire another part-time youth worker for the summer and the center will evaluate the situation again later in the year.