ON Fridays I become a human jungle gym. The minute I step foot into the gym the children that participate in "Urban Compass" feel the need to drag me to a game of basketball or jump rope. "Urban Compass" is an after school program for elementary school aged children that takes place in Verbum Dei High School in the Watts area. The website for the program states that the objective of this program is to give children "an environment that challenges our young people to envision a rewarding future." With the youth of LA joining gangs at earlier ages, "Urban Compass" hopes to give these kids a safe place to go that focuses on their abilities in a positive manner. Tutoring, sports, enrichment and teamwork activities and field trips occur in order to engage them in a positive learning experience that takes place off the streets.
I became involved with this program due to my service organization, Crimson Circle. Being able to spend my Fridays with these kids has truly been a rewarding experience. It makes me hopeful for the future of Los Angeles. These are innocent kids, many who could be urged to join a gang or fall along the wayside. Hopefully, with programs like this kids will be able to hold themselves accountable and be proud of their accomplishments. It truly would be great to see more programs like "Urban Compass" develop throughout all of Los Angeles, despite levels of gang activity that are in each individual city.
Sometimes it is hard for me to visually see the hardships and poverty when I arrive in Watts on Friday afternoons. How can this really be part of the same Los Angeles that I attend school in and people travel to from around the world? It is important that these people and these areas of the city are never forgotten or overlooked. If anything they should have more of our focus. All it takes it a little bit of attention to a young one to show them someone has faith in them to succeed.
I became involved with this program due to my service organization, Crimson Circle. Being able to spend my Fridays with these kids has truly been a rewarding experience. It makes me hopeful for the future of Los Angeles. These are innocent kids, many who could be urged to join a gang or fall along the wayside. Hopefully, with programs like this kids will be able to hold themselves accountable and be proud of their accomplishments. It truly would be great to see more programs like "Urban Compass" develop throughout all of Los Angeles, despite levels of gang activity that are in each individual city.
Sometimes it is hard for me to visually see the hardships and poverty when I arrive in Watts on Friday afternoons. How can this really be part of the same Los Angeles that I attend school in and people travel to from around the world? It is important that these people and these areas of the city are never forgotten or overlooked. If anything they should have more of our focus. All it takes it a little bit of attention to a young one to show them someone has faith in them to succeed.
-- Reilly Wilson
(photo credit: jan tik via flickr creative commons)
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