Editor’s note: As part of the Common Core standards being taught at Idyllwild School, teacher George Companiott had his eighth-grade students write letters to the editor. Over the next few weeks, Town Crier will print a few of these.

 

Editor:

As an Idyllwild juvenile, I’ve noticed a lack of youth programs in the community. My eighth-grade class and I devised a survey to assess youth needs, and the people surveyed agree there are not enough youth activities in the community.

There have been efforts to solve this issue. For example, a community center will be constructed in a few years.

According to Dave Butterfield, the center will be “a place for kids to call their own.” This is a significant advancement, but until then, Idyllwild needs enthralling activities for adolescents. Clearly, our community needs more youth projects.

Idyllwild Middle School eighth-graders noticed a lack of community youth activities and created a survey to assess youth needs. First, the survey revealed the majority of the youth community wanted a festival in the community park. The festival would take place on a Saturday and be paid for by fundraising.

Second, 83 percent of people surveyed agreed there are not enough community youth activities.

Third, 48 percent of youth and adults thought sports would be the best youth program while 36 percent disagreed and thought art the best. Eight percent said technology would appeal to most and another 8 percent said a different program would entice youth more.

Fourth, when asked about arts programs, 34 percent of survey takers wanted a drama art program; 28 percent contradicted this and wanted a visual art program; 30 percent wanted a musical program; and 8 percent wanted a different program.

Finally, 17 out of 18 (or 94 percent) of people agreed that youth need to volunteer in the community more. In conclusion, according to the survey results, Idyllwild youth should volunteer more, participate in a a drama program and create an art program.

I believe Idyllwild is in pressing need of captivating, invigorating and compelling youth programs for three main reasons. First, the school lacks appealing activities as there are no technology classes, smARTs is not offered to middle-school students and only six sports are provided.

Second, indolent youth can turn to drug use, violence and crime. Third, recreation would not only benefit the youth, a youth program would be an advantage to the community by bringing in more tourists, which means more consumerism and employment opportunities.

The program, according to the data survey, would be a festival in the community park. Idyllwild needs to come up with youth recreation events to surpass its contemporaneous condition.

Carmen Pratt
Idyllwild Middle School