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. This is the third week Town Crier is printing a few of these.

Editor:

Idyllwild is a nice community. However, there are not many recreational activities for youths. My class and I have recently read the Sept. 26 issue of the Town Crier, which informed us of community center plans unveiled. The community center will take a few years to be built. The first phase of the new community center is the amphitheatre, the second phase will be the gymnasium, and the third phase is an indoor pool. I think this new community center will be a great advancement to the community of Idyllwild.

Currently, in our eighth-grade class, we have been busy collecting data from surveys on youth-community needs. My class and I have made a survey to give to the people because we want to know the needs of youths in the community of Idyllwild. So, we collected the data from the surveys, took notes, and made charts and graphs to figure out what youths want most. From the results, my group and I have found that the community youths and the community youths’ parents think that the community needs more volunteering, drama, sports and musical activities. Youths need more programs in the community. My group has also discovered that youths’ parental preferences include the activities to be on Monday, in the afternoon, at around 4 to 5 p.m. My group thinks that volunteering is something that the majority of youths could get involved in. Another one of the activities that youths want the most is sports. From gathering surveys, we have come to the conclusion that through fundraising, more activities can be available to youths of Idyllwild.

This community center that is going to be built will provide more recreational activities for youths. These opportunities in the community are limited to seasonal sports and the local park. In the new community center, the amphitheater will help provide more artistic and musical activities for youths. I think that the more recreational activities youths have to do the less trouble that they will get into. This community center is going to make this community a better community, and help youths become more active within the community. The more youths are involved, the better the community of Idyllwild can become.

Olivia A. Evans

Idyllwild Middle School