Recreating WrEcked Centers

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Recreating WrEcked Centers

• Northeast High School
• First Period US History Room 141
• Student Voices
• Fall 2003

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Students who worked on the project

• Angel Alicea
• Marcella Brown
• Laura Carroll
• James Crouthamel
• Drew Gulak
• Glea Habipaj
• Cherie Harris
• Neejla Musitief
• Garwai Ng
• John Nguyen
• Brandon OMalley
• Paul Port
• Dennis Sinchak

• Elsid Skendaj
• Alex Stafford
• Michael Stoutenger
• Daren Swain
• Nilesh Tailor
• Alfi Thazhathel
• Salini Thomas
• Biljana Todic
• Soniya Varghese
• Christopher Velez
• Manuel Vitoria
• Vadim Vitorsky

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How we started our research

• As a class, we picked three issues to study car
  insurance, school funding and recreation centers.
• We worked in groups of 4 to research one topic.
  Therefore, we had 2 groups researching each
  topic.
• We used on-line sources and newspaper to find out
  (1) the controversy or concern (2) the
  candidates positions and (3) options for
  addressing the concerns. Each group interviewed
  four people about the issue .

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Why we focused on recreation centers?

• The candidates position on car insurance and
  school funding were easy to find. Their
  positions were on their web sites and in articles
  in the newspaper. Though they talked about skate
  boarding or after school programs, there was
  little information on how candidates would
  improve Philadelphia Recreation Centers.
• Recreation centers receive different levels of
  funding. This affects programming. The lower
  and near Northeast sections of the city offer
  less recreation programs than other areas of the
  city. Wed like to improve recreation centers in
  our neighborhoods.

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What the mayoral candidates said about Recreation
in general

• Mayor Street supports Teen Centers at
  recreation centers to provide enhanced
  recreational and social programs for community
  youth. Also, on the Martin Luther King Day of
  Service, there are volunteer opportunities at
  recreation centers.
• Candidate Katz vowed to liberate Love Park to
  rejuvenate a youthful attraction for skate
  boarders.

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Why we focused on recreation centers the
Recreation Department Mission Statement is fine
but based on our exit pollingand student survey,
it isnt being met.

•  
• to encourage and enhance the development of
  the physical, cultural, artistic, and life skills
  of the residents of the City.  The Department
  strives to maintain safe, clean, fully functional
  and professionally staffed facilities to provide
  for effective delivery of programs, activities,
  and services.  The Department strives to make
  programs relevant and accessible to underserved
  communities, including minorities, women, the
  economically disadvantaged and those with special
  needs

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Interviews from our initial research

• The two groups researching recreation centers
  interviewed 8 people.
• The interviewees included adults who have
  children involved in recreation programs, an
  adult volunteer director of Big Brothers Big
  Sisters, students who participate in recreation
  center programs and workers at two Northeast
  recreation centers.
• We decided to do exit polling on recreation
  centers to get feedback from voters.

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Interviews to prepare for Exit Polling and Surveys

• We contacted directors or workers at 9
  recration centers
• --American Legion (6201 Torresdale Ave.)
• --Fox Chase Playground (601 Borbeck)
• --Lincoln Poll (201 Ryan Ave.)
• --Tarken Recreation Center (6250 Frontenac
  St.)
• --Lawncrest (6000 Rising Sun Ave.)
• --Norcom Community Ctr (10980 Normcom Rd.)
• --Bridgesburg (4625 Richmond St.)
• --Finley Playground (Stenton Upsal Sts)
• --Jardel Recreation Center (1400 Cottman Ave.)
• --Rhawnhurst Recreation Center (8101 Bustleton
  Ave.)

• We asked
• Hours (including when the facility is closed
  compared to the hours listed)
• Programs (this is on-line but we wanted to see if
  the lists are identical)
• Who determines which programs are offered?
• What other programs would they like to offer?
• What influences which programs are offered?

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Eleven Exit Polling Sites 202 people completed
the exit poll

• Cottman Ave / Krispy Kreams
• Wilson Middle School
• Austin Meehan Middle School
• Northeast High School
• Lawton Elementary School

• Simons Playground
• James Moore School
• Spruance School
• Solis-Cohen School
• Farrell School
• 75th Street Fire Station

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Exit Poll November 4, 2003Philadelphia
Recreation Centers

• 1. Do you participate in any programs at a
  Philadelphia Recreation Center?
• _____Yes _____ No ____
• If yes, which programs _______________________
• If no, why not? (cost, hours, lack of programs,
  etc.)
• 2. The Recreation Centers can be improved by

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Northeast High School Student Voices Room 141
Nov. 4, 2003Thank you for voting! Please
complete an exit poll on Philadelphia
Recreation Centers! Thank youGracìas?????????
??? - ????? ?????????? / ???????????pükranCám
OnObrigado MerciVielen DankFalimenderit!
We translated the exit poll into 11 languages
spoken by students in our class. This was to
benefit anyone whose first language is not
English and preferred answering in their first
language.
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What we learned from Exit Polling 1

• Once people knew it was for a class project and
  NOT about how they voted, they were friendly
• Some people ignored us and were in a hurry
• We met many adults who care about our community
  but few are involved in our community because of
  busy schedules and other obligations

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What we learned from Exit Polling 2

• We only received results from citizens who vote
  mostly citizens who are older adults. There are
  many other people in the neighborhood who dont
  or cant (not citizens) vote and therefore we
  didnt find out their opinions. Therefore, we
  decided to survey students at school.
• Most voters were positive but there were too many
  people handing out candidate information and
  telling people how to vote

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What we learned from Exit Polling 3

• We were able to get people to complete the poll
  if we told them it would take 30 seconds
• We were given donuts! (Krispy Kream site)
• Some of us had good conversations with people we
  would not have met other places

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Other ideas to improve recreation centers

• Concerts and dances
• Tutoring
• Skate partks
• Advertise
• Ice hocky rinks
• Music and computer classes
• Jobs for community members
• Let young people hang out
• No racism at the recreation centers

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We contacted the Northeast Times and received
coverage of the exit polling on Nov. 13, 2003
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What we learned from the exit poll

• People dont participate because
• --no time / hours
• --safety and security
• concerns
• --staff and management
• --maintenance (dirty)
• --costs of programs
• --lack of programs for older adults, people
  with
• special needs, etc.
• --lack of awareness
• --sometimes recreation centers arent inviting
  they are controlled by a few people

• Programs people participate in are
• --softball / baseball
• --basketball
• --soccer
• --hockey / ice skating
• --gymnastics
• --weight lifting / boxing
• --dance
• --swimming
• --aerobics
• --cheerleading / football
• --karate
• --day care and summer camp

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Northeast High School Survey Results

• We interviewed 278 Northeast High School Students
  (228 Juniors and 50 seniors). The students were
  either in US History or Social Science classes.
• The graphs show the results of the survey.

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Survey of Philadelphia Recreation Centers

• Year at Northeast High School ________Junior
  _________ Senior
• Recreation centers have a ___ positive
  ___ negative ___ no affect
• -------------------------------------------------
  --------------------------------------------------
  ---------------------
• 1. Do you participate in YOUR neighborhood
  recreation programs?
• _________yes _________ no
• Do you participate in ANOTHER neighborhood
  recreation program?
• _______ yes _________no
• 2. If you answered yes to 1, please check off
  how you became aware of the programs
• _____ friends _____family _____newspaper
  _____flyers _____at school
• _____ word of mouth ______phone call
  _____saw the building _____________ (other)
• 3. To improve recreation centers, the City of
  Philadelphia should (check up to 3)
• _____ improve the facilities (clean, paint,
  refurbish, etc.)
• _____ improve safety and security
• _____ build larger facilities (e.g. gyms)
• _____ improve the playing fields and / or courts

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Do you participate in a neighborhood recreation
program?
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Do recreation centers have a positive, negative
or no affect on my neighborhood?
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If you participate in recreation center programs,
how did you become aware of the programs?
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To improve recreation centers, the City of
Philadelphia should
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Based on the our initial research, the exit
polling and the student survey, we learned

• Recreation centers are perceived as poorly
  maintained (dirty, smelly, trashed), and unsafe
  (fights, racism / bias, etc.). There are also
  concerns about under-trained staff, old
  equipment, and lack of programs and hours.
  Though the Recreation Department web site is
  impressive, that doesnt mean the hours are
  correct or all the programs are offered. Though
  we know there are lack of teen programs, we
  learned there are too few programs for retired
  people and young children.

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Next Steps - Political

• Mayor Street supports Teen Centers. There are
  no Teen Centers in the Lower or Near
  Northeast. We are sending a letter to the
  Commissioner of the Recreation Department -Victor
  Noel Richard III - a copy of our Power Point
  presentation and a request to open a Teen
  Center in the Northeast. Based on our exit poll
  and survey findings, we are also asking for
  improved maintenance, safety and program funding
  for Recreation Centers throughout the City.

• We are sending copies of the Power Point
  presentation and a letter to City Council members
  who represent the Northeast Council members
  Krajewski (6th Dist)., ONeill (10th Dist.) and
  Mariano (7th Dist.) and newly elected at-large
  Councilmember Kelly asking for improvement in
  maintenance, safety and program funding. We are
  also asking for a Teen Center in the Northeast.
  We are going to ask for a meeting with the
  Council members or a representatives at Northeast
  High School in February to discuss our concerns.

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Next Steps Community Service

• Based on our student survey results, too few
  students are aware of recreation center programs.
  The students who are aware find out from
  friends only 3 found information at school.
  Therefore, we are going to create a public
  service announcement to broadcast at Northeast
  High School during Advisory (homeroom) to
  publicize local recreation center programs. We
  will also make a flyer with the Recreation
  Departments web site which is a useful tool for
  finding out about programs.
• We are going to ask Recreation Center directors
  if they need student volunteers. We are required
  to complete 20 hours of community service per
  year. We will work with the Recreation Center
  directors to recruit Northeast student
  volunteers.

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Recreation centers are part of a healthy city
and community. To change the image of wrecked
centers into recreation centers, we can start
by informing and pressuring elected
officials, informing students about the
programs, and offer to volunteer to improve
the neighborhood centers. We also hope to be
part of establishing a Teen Center in the near
Northeast.