Some many years back I was asked to go out to a high school in a poor rural area and talk to the physics students about a career in engineering. Between presentations I took some time to chat with a few students. I asked them what they did for fun. The only answer I got was that occasionally they would car pool to a shopping mall in an urban area about an hour away. It made me wonder just what they did there. Look at a lot of stuff they couldn’t afford to buy?
Couldn’t their community provide something—anything—interesting for those kids to do during their off time? No wonder I was frequently reading about kids from that area getting into trouble with the law. They were bored stiff!
Joe has the right idea. Provide activities. Sports leagues. Dances. Concerts. Find out what the kids like to do and channel their energy. Local law enforcement personnel getting involved would be an added bonus.
Some many years back I was asked to go out to a high school in a poor rural area and talk to the physics students about a career in engineering. Between presentations I took some time to chat with a few students. I asked them what they did for fun. The only answer I got was that occasionally they would car pool to a shopping mall in an urban area about an hour away. It made me wonder just what they did there. Look at a lot of stuff they couldn’t afford to buy?
Couldn’t their community provide something—anything—interesting for those kids to do during their off time? No wonder I was frequently reading about kids from that area getting into trouble with the law. They were bored stiff!
Joe has the right idea. Provide activities. Sports leagues. Dances. Concerts. Find out what the kids like to do and channel their energy. Local law enforcement personnel getting involved would be an added bonus.