Helping Our City Teenagers

On Thursday, April 26, 2006, I attended a Teen Town Hall Meeting at the Asbury Park Boys and Girls Club. The goal of this meeting was to get teens talking about the issues that impact them as residents of Asbury Park. The discussion covered a wide range of issues - from what teens want to be when they grow up, to their fears about the growing violence in our streets, to their overemphasis on material things.

I came away from the meeting with a number of insights. First, our teens are quite aware of the realities they are facing in our city. Second, our teens need some clear help and guidance from the adults in our community on everything from how to dress, to how to engage in conversation, to taking responsibility for their actions. Third, as a community, we are not investing nearly enough in the lives of our young people. This, for me, is the most critical point.

Let me be clear that when I say “invest” I do not mean money. We have seen through the failures in our City school system, that we cannot just throw money at the problems. All the money in the world cannot replace what these kids need most – our time, tough love and unconditional support.

What can you do to help? VOLUNTEER!!! We currently have a number of programs that can use mentors for our teenagers. Will it take time? Yes. Will it be challenging? Certainly. Will it be worth it? More than you can imagine.

If you are interested in volunteering to be a mentor, email me at jwkeady@cityofasburypark.com and I will connect you with one of the mentoring agencies.