Local club supports teens amid surge in violence

Grace Hewitt and Alex Pearson

34 minutes ago

DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — After repeated incidents of violence rocked the community, a local nonprofit organized its first-ever gathering for teens, allowing them to come together in a safe space.

2 NEWS spoke to teenagers and club employees about the problems of teen violence and what can be done about it.

“We absolutely need to come together as a community to bring more peace,” said Ke'Mya Lam, a teenage member.

With more than a handful of teens involved in the recent surge in gun violence, the Boys and Girls Club of Dayton is rising to the occasion by providing an open, safe and fun space.

Since mid-June, the Dayton area has seen 13 shootings, some in the span of 72 hours. The Boys and Girls Club is among a long list of community members seeking to create change.

Teen hangout provides a place for teens ages 13-18 to meet with licensed therapists, meet new people, hang out, and have fun.

“With the recent surge in youth violence, we just wanted to make sure that the teens in the community and the community at large know and understand that the Boys and Girls Clubs of Dayton are here for them,” said Crystal Alen, CEO and Executive Director of the Boys and Girls Clubs. “There are people here in this community who are committed to your well-being, who are committed to you, who are committed to helping you grow and be a positive, caring, responsible adult.”

More than fifty teenagers were present over the two days, including Olivia Mackey, 15, and Lam, 17, who have been involved with the club for some time.

And they say seeing the violence is discouraging, but getting involved is a big step in the right direction.

“There shouldn’t be all this violence at such a young age. Kids shouldn’t be dying so young, when they have their whole lives ahead of them and they don’t have a chance to live. It’s very sad,” Mackey said. “Some of the teenagers don’t really have the opportunity to go somewhere, to have fun, because, you know, they may not have transportation or they don’t have transportation, but they can come here and have fun, meet new people and talk.”

In addition to providing a safe place away from violence, the Boys and Girls Club ensures that teens can also access mental health resources if they need them.

“It’s okay to tell someone or not. Okay. So we have a saying that we stick together and everybody has a place. So if I’m not there, the other staff will be there,” said Ezra Poole, a social worker on site in the south community.

The Boys and Girls Club of Dayton says it is accepting volunteers and donations, which can be made through the Dayton Foundation.