Milwaukee teenagers will have more places to hang out and things to do this summer.
The city is launching a Safe Summer Sites initiative to give teenagers safe places to hang out while school is out of session.
Mayor Cavalier Johnson said the partnership is connecting youth with prevention programming, mentorship, and supportive services.
“Adults have a greater responsibility to provide youth with things to do, with places to go and something positive to be a part of,” Johnson said. “[Youths] told us they want safe places to go, they told us they want positive activities, they told us they want opportunities to connect with peers and adults who will also invest in them.”
Twilight Centers, which turn high schools into nightly recreation centers, are expected to open nightly from Monday to Saturday from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. for students ages 10 to 20, city leaders announced Tuesday during a press event at James Madison Academic Campus, 8135 W. Florist Ave.
Partners in the initiative include Milwaukee Public Schools, Milwaukee Recreation, Milwaukee County Department of Health and Human Services, City of Milwaukee, Children’s Wisconsin, the Medical College of Wisconsin and others.
The initiative was created through $1.5 million in aligned public, school, health, and philanthropic support, according to organizers.
Video games, sports and open swim
David Muhammad, deputy director for Milwaukee County Department of Health and Human Services, said Tuesday that this summer’s programming is based on student feedback about what activities are most enriching and useful for young people.
Students can play video games or use virtual reality headsets, produce beats and lyrics, attend informative sessions about career development and community safety, and more, according to Muhammad. Five centers also host open swim sessions to stay cool throughout the week.
Teens can wash and dry their clothes for free, detergent included, at two centers — South Division High School, 1515 W. Lapham Blvd., and Barack Obama School of Career and Technical Education, 5075 N. Sherman Blvd.
To keep the spaces safe, Muhammad said community violence interrupters and peacemakers will be present to guide young energy in the right direction.
James Madison student Anthony Williams said it’s exciting to have a program that youth were able to provide input on.
“Too often decisions are made for us young people without even asking us about it,” Williams said. “Young people need places to go where they can be themselves, have fun, get support and know adults really care about our success.”
Find your local Twilight Center and hours of operation
Check here for more information from Milwaukee Public Schools and Milwaukee Recreation about Twilight Centers.
Alex Klaus is the education solutions reporter for the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service and a corps member of Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues and communities. Report for America plays no role in editorial decisions in the NNS newsroom.
Jonathan Aguilar is a visual journalist at Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service who is supported through a partnership between CatchLight Local and Report for America.
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