When Michelle Walker read a newspaper article about a recent shooting that took the life of an infant, she analyzed the diagram that depicted gang activity in Syracuse. The Wilson Park area was included in the danger zone. It sparked an idea.

‘I thought, my God, we have to offer these kids another outlet,’ said Walker, director of community programs at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. ‘There are other things to do besides joining a gang.’

The Syracuse University Public Affairs program is taking its relationship with Wilson Park Community Center, located between 117 S. McBride St. and Taylor Street, to the next level. The ‘Cuse Spot Initiative will launch its program for elementary and middle school kids in the Syracuse City School District on Feb. 22. Walker expects 50 to 100 kids to participate in the Winter Break program.

The initiative offers a wide range of activities, from dance to chess to healthy cooking. The classes are based on the talents and passions of SU students interested in getting involved with the local community. Students have the opportunity to channel their interests into a structured class for kids as often as their schedule allows. Commitments can be big or small.

SU first collaborated with the community center, one of the seven maintained by the City of Syracuse Parks, Recreation and Youth programs, about 15 years ago. Since then, the university provided the center with a computer lab through a grant, courtesy of Maxwell, and offered learning programs for its Syracuse youth. Now, with the help of SU undergraduates, the program is offering a set of interactive classes during the school district’s February break.

Walker, along with her colleague Bill Coplin, department chair of the public affairs program at SU, extended the opportunity to their students this past fall, hoping to gain considerable interest. They had a slow start,Walker said, but students came trickling in over time. There are currently nine students signed up to head individual classes with six assisting volunteers.

Christine Ward, a junior policy studies major, acts as a student contact for the program. She relays the student interest to the administration at Wilson Park and helps develop a structured agenda of classes and activities. Ward said she got involved because most of the activities she partakes in are on campus, and she wanted to branch out into the community.

Ward’s interest lies in the Syracuse youth. She said her main goal is to help the kids develop interests and passions in a safe learning environment.

‘I want them to think about their dreams and goals and know they aren’t limited,’ Ward said.

Sarah Walton, a sophomore public relations and policy studies major, is the publicist for the program. She jumped on board to manage public relations, design a logo and recruit students. Walton said she hopes the program will become self-sufficient over time.

‘Hopefully student volunteers realize that not only are they having fun themselves, but they are having an impact on these kids’ lives,’ Walton said.

She said she believes SU students act like mentors for the Syracuse youth and can stimulate interest, creativity and goals.

Coplin said the public affairs program has a hidden agenda. The goal is to expand the community center into a learning center, with regular classes taught by SU students. With a strong focus on community service and Scholarship in Action, Coplin said a larger facility would provide greater teaching opportunities for SU students.

Undergraduates will receive funding as needed to cover the cost of teaching supplies. The program is completely free of charge to Syracuse residents, and the City of Syracuse Parks, Recreation and Youth will provide children with lunch and transportation.

‘The kids down there really appreciate our presence,’ Walton said. ‘They look up to us.’

ygalstya@syr.edu

Published on February 7, 2011 at 12:00 pm