Last week during class we visited a very successful Rec Center in Baltimore called the John Eager Howard Elementary School and Rec Center. It had tons of resources available, like a computer lab, gymnasium, art room, Kitchen, and work out room. It was amazing to see the people who ran, and worked at the rec center. They were so passionate about creating a positive place for youth to go after school, and a place for them to learn and grow. In Baltimore the number of rec centers has greatly decreased in the past years, robbing youth of a positive place to go after school.
Last year when I was working with middle school students in Seattle, I learned how important it was to have the rec center close to school. Often the minute the bell rang at 2:35 ending the school day, a huge group of students would migrate to the rec center and would go swimming, take breakdance classes, get help with their homework, or simply hang out with their friends in the teen room. Most of the students would stay there until it closed, and on the weekends many of them would go there all day, and then go to their late night program. This rec center helped the students stay on track, and opened them to new ideas.
From my positive experiences at Rec Centers in both Baltimore, and Seattle I think it is important for neighborhoods to have Rec centers as part of their community. Not just for youth, but also a place where the entire community can gather, and use community resources. Community and Rec Centers, should not cost people money, but give all people the opportunities to try new things, and to better their lives. Whether that means taking a gardening class, or using a computer to search for a job. Bellow is what I think an ideal Rec/Community Center could look like.
Allie Mac.
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