By: Ruben and Samuel Justiniano
You know how people comment about the West Ward being a bad neighborhood. Is the people whom decide on how a neighborhood should be. Most people in the West Ward are not too dedicated to their neighborhood, appearance and its reputation. We as neighbors have our mind set in what we want and our daily routine but don't stop for a second to look around us and see how we can make our neighborhood better. Adults are busy with different responsibilities and the children don't have many options to contribute to our neighborhood.
The focus for this neighborhood should include the participation of its children since they are growing up here and are the future of this place. The children of this neighborhood have the need to participate in the growth and be included in the future plans.
They have the need to feel useful in the neighborhood and use their energy in posite activities which will keep them occupied and away from negative influences. Some of the bad influences can be destructive which have no positive effect in our neighborhood.
Some things are coming along fine like the trails for biking and walking but us as kids have the need for some more things which might be available in our neighborhood. Most of the kids like to bike, skateboard, run the scooter, having all the energy and desire to run. The kids of this neighborhood have the urge to have more programs available to them where they concentrate on constructive things and been coach by parents, bigger brother or sister into more positive programs of interest like the parks, ecology, natural resources, mechanics, etc.
With all of this programs put in place by either volunteers or different sources we as kids will be able to walk away from doing things which are not to positive and turn it to very good things for a healthy growth mentally and physically. With the help of good and caring neighbors working together with people who have the political power to make changes. I know that we the children can work side by side with the adults. The transition is going to be smoother and well educated with good choices for the kids of this neighborhood.
Gracias por la atencion prestada a este chico que vive en el vecindario del West Ward.
By: Samuel Justiniano
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6 comments:
Sam~I really appreciate and respect all the hard work you and your friends put into building the community garden on 5th & Ferry this year, and it has been good to see you at the Watershed Clinic and other community meetings, as well as working at the Farmer's Market. I hope that other teens will continue to follow your example. It is really important that teens get involved, not just to help with the work, but so that we can hear your ideas too. I, for one, am hoping that the City will eventually support a skateboard park, so that kids have a safe, fun and challenging place to ride skate boards, instead of of flying down hills and through intersections in the WW. If the teens organize and keep the pressure on, their political voice will be heard, it just takes patience and persistence.
Please tell your friends that you've posted an article on this blog, so that they can read it and post comments! We need the opinions of youth on the blog too, not just adults.
The city had a really nice skate park and I used it often. It was on a macadam playground on the south side. The kids destroyed it. And today I don't see many kids boarding. Yes there are some, maybe even 100 but a skate park cost a min. of $50,000. That's a lot of money per skater. I hear that Bethlehem is building a skate park that is costing $1 million, does anyone know if that is true? Where is it?
http://www.bethlehemskateplaza.com/
Sam,
How refreshing to hear from a young person in the community! We need to hear more input from the youth of our area. Please be encouraged, there are plans in the works that will assist the young people in our area to prepare for their futures whether they decide to stay in the West Ward or move to other parts of the country. I hope to see you get involved in these things!
Sam and Ruben,
As I stated in another section of this blog, I am teaching a Lafayette Course on Urban Ecology. I invite you and your friends to be part of the course. It meets on Wednesday evenings beginning in late January. If you are interested please contact me at winfielb@lafayette.edu.
There are 18 Lafayette students enrolled in the class. Your input would be amazing. We could meet in the community or on campus. It is about how we can be partners in making the community a better place.
I as well as many others appreciate your interest and enthusiasm in neighborhood revitalization and invite you (and or your friends) to become involved with Weed and Seed. Curently the AID team (Steering Committee)meets the first Thursday of every month and is responsible for filtering and implementing ideas from residents. Another program in the works is a collaboraion with Easton School District to begin a Youth Advisory Committee that intends to do just as you stated, organize youth to be involved their neighborhood. I do not know your age but would be very interested in speaking to you about joining this group. Please email me directly if you would like any further information laccetta@easton-pa.gov
Laura Accetta
Weed and Seed Site Coordinator
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