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"It's very important. It's another place to go so you don't have to be on the street."
And for Howard, keeping kids off the streets, away from the fights, is key.
"If you respect young people, if you give them a chance, if you're willing to go the extra mile for young people, then they want to be a part of what you've got," he said.
Since Howard warned the kids to stay away from fighting, he says no one has been banned from the Center.
Some students are even planning a Peace Rally in April in an effort to encourage students to not fight.
Along with the Teen Center, there's also a new Boys and Girls Youth Center in Benton Harbor.
Both facilities opened last year and cost a total of $7.4 million.
Joel Smilow, the retired CEO of Playtex, funded most of the Teen Center. He is a huge supporter of the Boys and Girls Clubs of America and heard Benton Harbor needed the Center badly.
The Whirlpool Corporation contributed some money for the Teen Center and most of the funds needed for the Youth Center, which has a membership of more than 500 elementary-aged students.