neighborhood becomes friendly, The

NEA Today, Jan 2001 by Green, Michelle Y

In a high-crime area, a school shows local residents the good that kids can.do, especially if adults take an interest.

A few years back, residents of Mesa, Arizona, feared that a new school in their neighborhood would lead to scores of kids hanging out in the out in the late afternoon. Today, sure enough, at the new Kerr Elementary, up to 300 students a day do "hang out."

But you won't find many anxious local residents. That's because the after-school attraction for the students isn't trouble. It's the 39 after-school clubs, on everything from pompoms to practical science, offered through Kerr's imaginative Kids Can program.

In fact, residents who once regarded kids with a certain distrust and disdain are now actually working with them in an atmosphere of mutual respect.

The Kids Can program was born in a high-crime area that offered children no parks or other diversions.

"We were told by the police that Kerr would be one of the most vandalized schools in the area," recalls Frank Hunter, the Kerr Elementary facilities assistant who coordinates Kids Can.

School staff, parents, and neighbors all agreed early on that their new school needed to offer some kind of alternative to gang life. At one point, in fact, a local house was vandalized while staff and local residents were out on a neighborhood crime walk with police.

"We were in survival mode from the very beginning," says Hunter. "As a staff, we decided we wanted to get the neighborhood involved."

To build that involvement, staff began volunteering time and donating money to set up informal clubs outside school hours-a reading club, a scrapbook club, and one for arts and crafts-but liability issues, even with permission slips, proved a problem.

But not for long. By partnering with the local parks and recreation department, the state juvenile justice division, and the school district, Hunter was able to win a United Way grant and formalize -as the Kids Can program-what had been the staff vision all along.

Kids Can, notes Hunter, has become a safe haven for students that offers academic and recreational programs. Certified teachers, paraprofessionals, and community volunteers now head 39 after-school Kids Can clubs that meet Mondays through Thursdays.

Students in the clubs play sports, learn to babysit, improve study habits, perform in dance troupes, learn about leadership, become cheerleaders, take science and history field trips, use computers, create art and music, and more.

"This program has gotten kids more involved with the neighbors," says Hunter. "Seniors who once despised kids now work with kids. Phone complaints have diminished, and kids and adults respect each other more. it's made our job easier."

Staffers are compensated for their time working on Kids Can, but activities are offered free of charge. And parents who help out earn one hour of credit in "parent university classes" for every hour volunteered.

Kids Can is now in its third year.

"Our numbers have just soared," notes Hunter. "Very rarely do students miss a club."

The relationships forged in Kids Can are enriching the community as well.

"Kids who had been stealing are now cutting lawns, washing dishes, and looking out for their neighbors," says Hunter.

And Mesa police have documented a significant reduction in neighborhood crime. The area around the school has gone from Mesa's number one in calls for police service to 65th.

For more: E-mail Frank Hunter at bxxman@msn.com.

* Kids Can has been featured on the NEA Safe Schools Now Network. The video of the "Forging Community Alliances" broadcast, with discussion and resource guides, is available for $14.95 from the NEA Professional Library, 800/229-4200.

* The NEA Safe Schools program on "Addressing Bias and Hate in the School Setting: A Collaboration with the Prevention Institute" will air in February. For viewing information, visit www.safeschoolsnow.org.