Pubdate: Tue, 15 Aug 2006
Source: Kingman Daily Miner (AZ)
Copyright: 2006 Kingman Daily Miner
Contact:  http://www.kingmandailyminer.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3469
Author: Terry Organ, Miner Staff Writer
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Marijuana)

AFTER-SCHOOL COALITION NEEDS SUPPORT

How badly do parents want their children to have  after-school program
opportunities?

We should know by year's end.

On Wednesday, the Kingman for Kids Task Force met to  discuss its next
moves in efforts to start after-school  programs. The task they face
is daunting.

They agreed on their first two moves. The first is to  contact local
school district officials to schedule  meetings and find out what
commitment they might make  for use of school facilities.

Secondly, they hope to bring Tom Brown to their next  meeting to tell
them how to go about putting together a  sound program. Brown operated
after-school programs in  the Flagstaff School District until his
retirement this  past spring.

Community support from residents and businesses will be  needed to
make any program a reality, even after  funding sources are identified
and applied for through  grants. In addition to schools, one task
force member  suggested contacting churches to see if any could offer
use of their facilities.

However, it was quickly established that there are  licensing issues
to be addressed with the Arizona  Department of Health Services.
Requirements will be  more easily met through schools than churches.

Kim Morgan, executive program assistant with the  Arizona School-Age
Coalition, brought copies of the  final report her organization
generated about the need  for after-school programs in the community.
Surveys  done last fall produced plenty of statistical
information.

"When the School Bell RingsNeeds in Out-of-School Time  in Arizona
Communities - Kingman Report" is the title  of the report. Task force
members already were  acquainted with much of the data from a
community panel  discussion held June 5 in the office of the Kingman
Unified School District, so they immediately went into  discussion of
how to proceed.

Funding and transportation matters were put on the  table, along with
where after-school programs could be  implemented.

Susan Williams, program coordinator of the Mohave  County Tobacco Use
Prevention Program, brought up the  possibility of constructing a YMCA
or community center.

That may turn out to be the best solution. However,  finding funding,
buying a piece of land, getting impact  and whatever other studies may
be necessary done and  the myriad of other details connected with the
project  means it would be at least five years before such a  building
would be ready to open. The report highlights  the urgency for
after-school programs now.

In a sub-section titled, "Keeping our kids and  communities safer is a
smart investment," it states,  "Teens who do not participate in
after-school programs  are three times more likely to use marijuana or
other  drugs, and are more likely to drink alcohol, smoke  cigarettes
and engage in sexual activities. In fact,  studies have shown that
youth who are not involved in  after-school activities are more likely
to use drugs,  and 37 percent are more likely to become teen parents."

That information was taken from a 2002 U.S. Department  of Education
report.

The Arizona School-Age Coalition did a similar  community needs survey
for Sierra Vista, and Morgan was  asked what direction that city is
moving on  after-school programs.

"I don't know," Morgan said.

"They chose not to go with a task force. Once I present  my report to
them, they may pull together, but they  also chose not to do a
community forum."

It's apparent that Kingman has more concerned citizens  dedicated to
the future of children than Sierra Vista.  Perhaps things will change
there once Morgan delivers  her final report, but forming a task force
here and  having a community panel discussion for ideas puts  Kingman
miles ahead in the effort to offer its children  the chance "to
enhance educational, social and  behavioral skills while providing a
safe and nurturing  opportunity to learn."

That partial quote was taken from another sub-section  of the report
titled, "It's more than keeping kids off  the streets."

What do you say, residents, business owners and  taxpayers? Do you
want more responsible children here  or are you satisfied to leave
things as they are now? 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake