CLEVELAND — As police and city leaders grapple with a jump in summer violence in Cleveland—including many incidents involving teenagers—another group of city leaders is working to prevent crime. And much of the work happens off the streets and inside neighborhood recreation and resource centers.
“I think this is sort of the unseen work, right?” Sonya Pryor-Jones said. “And often what happens is you got hundreds, even thousands of kids who are engaged in these kinds of programs. They’re staying safe. They’re growing developmentally. They’re connecting with others and they’re not committing a crime.”
Pryor-Jones is the city of Cleveland's first chief of youth and family success. She said they have more than 20 programs happening this summer at 22 different neighborhood centers. And she believes in helping these youth become something more.
“I’m a kid statistically that should not be sitting here in front of you. Teenage mother. Grew up in the inner city of Cleveland,” she said. “But when there are programs, when there are people who care, and when there are people who actually do not give up on your young people, great things can happen for them. I’m a product of that and so many others are as well.”
But amid the success she says they’ve seen among hundreds of youth that participate in these programs, the break from school has not seen a break from crime. And too often, teens are the victims and the perpetrators.
“It is devastating just as a community member,” Pryor-Jones said.
Just last week, cameras captured a group of teenagers pulling up to a gas station in stolen cars, firing gunshots and beating a man. Over the weekend, two separate shootings killed a 13-year-old boy and a 13-year-old girl. A third shooting sent a 16-year-old boy to the hospital.
“We’re all sensitive to it. It’s sad. It’s painful. But I’m also very hopeful,” she said.
Hopeful when she sees people who care and don’t give up on kids.
“We definitely want to hone in on that kid at home who may not know what to do,” said Alysia Montanez Yorko. “Neighborhood recreation and resource centers definitely fill a gap for many of our youth but also support the parents.”
Yorko is a social support services supervisor, who oversees a team that works with the youth in these programs.
“We know that idle hands sometimes don’t make the best decisions. So we try to reach those youth that are at home,” she said.
The programs include a variety activities, from sports to photography to chess to training in business and leadership.
“That really can help set them up for success,” Yorko said.
“Just like we see one incident where there’s a situation where there’s crime and violence involved, there are probably 20, 30, 40, 50 situations where young people are supporting each other, mentoring each other, doing community service.
Summer programs run from around noon to 8 p.m. at many of the city's recreation centers. They'll wrap up August 18, when the summer program transitions into after-school programs. Click here for more.