Youth and Families
Chicago's Teen Leadership Program
"In our communities in Chicago we lose too many young people to the gangs, to the drugs, to the killings. We needed to find an alternative to what was happening on our streets. Within the last couple years we have taken the Teen Leadership Program and really have made it an alternative for the teens themselves."
— Carlos Guevara, area manager, Near North Region, Chicago Park District
Combining their twenty years of experience working with teens in inner-city Chicago, Elizabeth Millan, Kelvyn Park supervisor, and John Davidson, Commercial Park physical instructor—both of the Chicago Park District—set out in 1989 to develop a program that reaches out to teens (ages 13 to 19), where they are, in their neighborhoods. They created the "Teen Leadership Program," designed to teach fundamental life skills like the importance of education, how to be productive citizens, how to get a job and have a different outlook. The Teen Leadership Program exposes inner-city teens to positive experiences outside their own environment. Every day these teens face gangs and drugs. They cannot avoid this environment. It's what they are accustomed to and what they grow into. The Chicago Park District had been losing teens due to a general lack of interest in traditional programming such as piano lessons, tap and ballet. These teens do not have pianos in their homes, so why would they sign up for a class? Instead, the Teen Leadership Program incorporates activities that teens enjoy, such as hip hop dancing and graffiti art airbrush classes, and trips to radio recording studios to learn what their favorite deejays do.
Knowing "If I knew then, what I know now" is an attitude teens do not understand, Millan and Davidson designed a program in which the teens could feel ownership and have fun, yet one that incorporates life skills that they may not realize are a part of the program.
The program started in 1994 with 5 teens. Today more than 200 teenagers participate in the Teen Leadership Program at eighteen park sites in the Chicago Park District system.
"There are advantages and disadvantages to the program. There are times when we can't reach out to those that we really want to. But that doesn't mean that we're going to stop. We're going to continue to do what we're doing and we're going to continue to tap into the talents of these teens. We will continue to struggle, but we're going to save lives, and we're going to let them know that they can depend on us." —Elizabeth Millan, Kelvyn Park supervisor, Chicago Park District Teen Leadership Program Objectives • To promote and increase teen involvement in the Chicago Park District • To expose inner-city teens to an environment other than their own in hopes of developing leaders for tomorrow. • To develop positive role models within their communities. • To develop good habits, positive work ethics and self-esteem. • To develop an alternative for teens away from the street where the influence of drugs and gangs are present on a daily basis. Program Criteria The Teen Leadership Program incorporates five criteria that must be achieved by each teen: grading system, tutoring, participation, volunteerism and fundraising. After completing the five main components, participants have the opportunity to travel to a predetermined destination (i.e., Florida or Colorado), which is voted on by the teens—the ultimate carrot and stick. Illinois Parks & Recreation • July/August 1996 • 27 This type of interaction is the main core in building self-esteem and ownership in the program. A percentage value is placed on each criteria and a clearly defined point system allows teens to keep track of their progress throughout the course of the Teen Leadership Program year, which begins in early September and ends in late August, after the travel opportunity.
1. Grading System Maintaining good grades in school is the number one criteria for the program. Participants must maintain a C-average or better in all classes with no exceptions. Participants are evaluated on a quarterly basis. "I wasn't really a good teen. Many people had less hope for me to achieve in anything that I would do. I failed in life. I thought I failed, until I met my aunt. She got me into this program two years ago, which helped me a lot. It gave me opportunity to really believe in myself and believe in what I believe. It gave me hope and allowed me to reach my grades up very high." — Cynthia Millan, 17-year-old senior at Kelvyn Park High School, president of the Teen Leadership Program at Ken-Wel Park 2. Tutoring Tutoring sessions take place two times each week for two-hour sessions that consist of one hour of homework, homework check and study time. The second hour is used to address current events and interesting or pertinent issues, designed to increase participant's hunger for knowledge. "When a teenager takes time out to help others with their studies, it gives them a sense of responsibility and encourages them to succeed in life. Tutoring helps to enhance our knowledge in several areas and it is also a way of saying thank you to people who have helped us in the past. It is also a way of giving back to the community and future generations." —Lysandra Santiago, 15-year-old freshman at Notre Dame High School. Kelvyn Park Teen Leadership Program
3. Participation/Special Events Participation in park activities either at the local or regional level is also required, and teens are encouraged to try new activities and have fun. "We, as a Teen Leadership Club, have done many special events, which have brought all of us closer together. During these events, we say hello to our old friends and we meet new ones. Our biggest event was our trip to Orlando, Florida. It was beautiful. It was a new and wonderful experience to go to another state, see their people, the styles of their clothes, just different cultures." — Alicen Santos, 15-year-old sophomore at Roberto Clemente High School, president of the Holstein Park Teen Leadership Program
4. Volunteerism/Positive Role Model Volunteering in the community through the park district or other organizations helps teens build self-confidence and a sense of pride in their neighborhood. Examples include helping at a park district festival, the Special Olympics, local food drives and neighborhood cleanups. "Prior to being enrolled in a Teen Leadership Program, I was uncertain of my future. I was so unsure of myself that finishing high school and getting an education seemed more of a burden then a privilege or advantage. Volunteering my time and helping others less fortunate than myself, helped me put my life into perspective, and helped me get my life and myself back on track."—Marines Gomez, 16-year-old junior at Lane Technical School, president of the Commercial Park Teen Leadership Program
5. Fundraising Raising money for the ultimate goal—the trip to a major destination—ties directly into this criteria. Participants must work on a budget for the trip and design fund-raisers that will meet their ultimate goal. Typical fund-raisers include mini-festivals, roller skating parties, lock-ins at the park district, candy sales, bake sales and dances. "Having to do all the fund-raisers helps teach teenagers how to budget money, responsibility, determination and strong will to achieve the goal that we have set at the beginning of the year. It has also taught us to never give up, and that if there are teenagers willing to work hard, there is always a way to overcome our obstacles." — Theresa Segreti, 17-year-old senior at Resurrection High School, president of the Kelvyn Park Teen Leadership Program Reprinted from Mobilizing Communities for Youth: Partnerships and Park District Programs that Work, a follow-up publication to the March 20, 1996, at-risk youth summit co-sponsored by the Illinois Association of Park Districts (IAPD) and Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan. 28 • Illinois Parks & Recreation • July/August 1996 |
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