What some described as chaos — and others called a riot — erupted Monday at Bay Plaza, ending with several teenagers arrested as police worked to restore order. The disturbance broke out on the first day of mid-winter vacation for New York City public school students at Bay Plaza, where large crowds of teens were seen running through the mall, throwing shopping carts at glass windows and damaging storefronts. The gathering was promoted on social media as a “teen takeover,” according to posts reviewed by News 12. Some teens said boredom fueled the behavior. “Cause everybody was bored. We outside. We was bored,” one student said. Youth advocates say boredom is not an excuse for violence. “You don’t go in and commit violence against people and businesses just because you’re bored,” said Sasha Holguin, a youth adviser with New Settlement. While the chaos unfolded at the mall, dozens of other young people were spending the day in structured activities at New Settlement, participating in team-building exercises designed to foster collaboration and critical thinking. Holguin is a product of the program herself and now helps guide participants away from the streets. “Trying to get them to think critically and collaboratively with their team to accomplish the task,” she said. “A little bit of competition is always fun.” New Settlement’s after-school programs begin as early as kindergarten, but one initiative specifically targets at-risk young adults ages 17 to 24. The program offers mentorship, life-skills training and a biweekly paycheck for participation. Raul Rivera Jr., a high school senior in his first weeks of the program, said the financial incentive helps, but it is not the main draw. “I enjoy the money, but that’s not the only reason I’m here,” Rivera said. Rivera said he has already built a résumé and learned budgeting and other skills not typically taught in the classroom. “They’re taking this step by step, putting us on our budget, showing us how to manage growing up as an adult,” he said. Another participant, Raymond Delarosa, said the program has helped him refocus on earning his GED and finding work. “I was lost,” Delarosa said. “Now all I’m doing is following my goals, aspirations, becoming a better person day by day.” Program leaders say resources are still available for teens and young adults seeking alternatives to the streets. As for boredom, Rivera said there are better options. “There’s always other alternatives,” he said.