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Be The Influence Windham Skatepark Interviews

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Laura Morris, Director of Be the Influence, interviews WMS teacher Eliza Adams, Windham Rec Director Linda Brooks and Resource Officer Matt Cyr about the plan to improve the Windham Skate Park.

Show Transcript

I no longer work for Direct we are so excited here today we're at the windows gate card and I have free guess that I'm headed to introduce you to Eliza Adams most of health teacher at the middle school we have the parks was the director of the parks resource officer at Windham middle school so that when kids are engaged and he told me it will stop a steam do they give some reasons to me decisions in our future and lies and I can't think of creating a better people to talk about that and let me guess we have here today so let's just open that up Eliza why do you think you can gauge me this report in Lancaster cool kids like to take risks and it says risks that helped to shape how they make decisions and how they decide what is safe and unsafe and I think that when we give kids lots of opportunities to explore ways to to take risks and push the envelope and to do interesting and exciting things then we're really contributing in a positive way if we leave it up to random or some fortunate choices February place in it's a risk but I think I'm looking at what we do would be the influence we would have went to do things that engage the kids and worse that are fun and interesting and have some work to take that child will help you shay the kids of our future you do millions of those types of activities and we'll get to that in just a minute in the school called Linda in the community AT&T but I think that is the key word that you kids have to be Catholic community and it's not just people community because they leave there at 2:30 in the afternoon they need to be part of their grade of community and it can be in there parks in a playground there sporting events but it needs to continue in the lot of times there's that Gap that as soon as they stop playing sports or are too old to be attending camps or things like that and we want them to continue at Parks and Recreation we feel like you said in the beginning and you just continue on through and if you are in Middle School baby, seen your camper and you do some leadership activities if you want to continue after that your counselor in training it's all it's it's all a process that you just continue giving to you community and remain involved and I'm here at the skate park at really good opportunity for them to just have a place to go that's kind of theirs we encourage ownership of this place we encourage them to be invested and involved and we have a project about to go all the way. are you going to bother you for years and you've already seen two trends like what the helps to keep his up drunk I put one of them is very important is that kids are given both structured and unstructured activities to do I think one of things we found today societies we as adults and tried to make things so structured recreation time playtime so structured for them that we've gotten away from things like the skate park where they come here and they they have their free time to be creative on their own to be to take those positive risks to play with each other for a lack of a better way to to test and I think one of those five benefits that we get out of that is a fact that if we look back to prior to us having a skatepark you know as a patrolman working here in Windham one of the things I was regularly doing is going in North Windham where was bunch of pavement around and some curve and things like that the kids are just up there trying to skate do their thing and the business owners didn't want them there because of you no fear of liability they had customers or trying to walk in and the kids were being kids and they weren't cautious about not cutting people off of roller skating out in front of cars but our answer to that prior to having a skatepark was to give a criminal trespass notice kick him off the property Malaysia backup arrest them and this is an situation where you can't arrest your way out of a out of a problem we had to find something positive to give the kids so we have the first opportunity to build the park I'm going to push 1 18 19 years ago now more than that you know we saw like a 36% drop and crying right after we put in the park it's absolutely huge and it's on structured time it's it's a safe environment it's I like to see it structure yet unstructured because we do have some kids have to file they have to respect each other they have to respect Spectators respect the equipment but really it's on structured so and as a side note I think one of the things that I found her interesting yeah I work in the schools a lot 1 things that prevents me from doing is getting out into the neighborhoods and now it off time and one of the side benefits of me working Patrol this summer please don't tell the chief was the what was the fact that sing a really struck me when I was patrolling through neighborhoods of Summer I don't see kids out playing and that's sad and unfortunate never even seen him walking around and I spoke to some of my fellow officers ask him about this I said you ever see kids out there playing and their response was no we don't we no longer see kids hanging out in North Windham we no longer see kids out in their neighborhoods and I think it was the fact that they're all inside doing the raid games or watching TV or interacting each other with each other electronically well in there you go and that's kind of where I was going with this is one of the things electronic that's okay for them to use but everything needs to be in moderation they need to have more opportunity to be able to come out and do something positive and have that unstructured playtime you know you take a ride down to Dundee and you just watch the kids swimming and that's structured time but they are at the same time watched by somebody with a lifeguard but really the kids are just out there having fun on the raft on the beach and and and how does that Len two kids staying drug free they're out there they're happy they're doing something enjoyable they're doing something fun they're getting that endorphin release that they're looking for and decide consequences as they don't have to deal with Easter all demographics so there are kids who don't have transportation for kids who don't have money their kids who come from home that aren't teaching them coping skills resiliency skills and so by engaging in these types of really cute some of the things it will get to the skatepark I promise you more than he tells on that it was just like about some of the new engagement ideas that exist in the schools and in the community Eliza used you so much things to do in middle school there a captive audience and what I really appreciate about Wyndham as we have so many levels of things that we weren't together on to really make it a complete package which is where I think she be until it's really time together the school I have a hurry effective health education program we have students his help for grade 6 7 & 8 quit doing them some prevention's toys think that that's pretty effectively have been members that approved that's her education approaches are keeping our numbers down and that really makes a big difference but our teachers have done some projects that have really engaged the kids in opioid prevention or marijuana cigarette prevention I do something in my classroom called The Tobacco awareness Fair which I think is a brass I think that tobacco prevention should should be fun and I think the kids would say that it is the same is true for opioid prevention that was some of the team of teachers and another health teacher it really should be fun and engaging so after school when they do a PSA they create yourself good about this up it's all about building self-esteem at the opiate project was like a Back to the Future theme and they had the wrong go if you went down this way to do what if our future will be bright and they made their own newspaper articles and Steakhouse DeLorean fun and so some of your projects and I went to war we can make it the more engaging the tension you that's where we making forget about their own abilities and how their control and I think that Back to the Future project that was done last year by seventh grade teachers really is the future of of Education it's really a fun amazing project that not only engages the kids in an important and life-changing message the community as well so I think that was very effective can you talk a little bit so we have this 15-foot mural 6 by 15 feet with a lot of money and it was a great message about being drug free and the Wyndham Raymond is going to be the influence and really it was a wonderful experience to just have kids come in and color and talk and talk about the message in there something special that happens when I would just work and sitting around waiting tables put together with markers just working a little bit of space and having conversations I want to say that I called at the coloring Club really it was so much more and it was just I think of really positive way to have some great conversations and they tied it into kids that was regularly come out to other things and it is a community so just so we know that we are all makes it way around the it has one more site is going to be in September and if you check our Facebook page and see where I'm at at the Raymond library right now in terms of parks and rec I want to note that said hello what you want that was a great idea last year that you folks in and work in a capitalize on it and we want to introduce yet another year old that will rotate around the community at Art in the Park this we are 2nd Annual Art in the Park Saturday October 13th in the park next to and why'd you what community collaborative art project we have a design in place for yet another mural that will focus on the skatepark and was coming with that but an opportunity for everybody to have a little ball and I'm making that up colorful Peter Roberts if anyone would like to sponsor that particular you're a little pink hanging at the skatepark in your local be seen over and over again nominal cost make sure to contact wind for DD implants the answer to the riddle it's funny we were joking earlier about the fact that I made some kids color it okay and they gradually went down and they're like yeah okay will do this but I think the teaching lesson out of was that even though you may not want to do something that's positive for our community we don't want to get involved we really should step up and get involved and that was a discussion I had with the kids because you know it was a collaborative Community effort and and and that's really what medium phone says it's it's we are going to put a plug in right now for real influence because the original concept is very It's a grand idea but at the same time it's kind of simple and it's and it's reality because really what it stands for Speed The Influence we want everyone out there to be the influence it's not just keeping kids off of drugs and alcohol it's about all of us as a community coming together business owners images figures School folks Rec Department police department most importantly parents are coming together and us working together to do a weekend to take our community this is a great place to be it is a great place to be however we want to make it even better with the be the influence program and it's it's everybody doing their part 2 to be the influence anything from a parent deciding not to have that glass of wine before they come to the football game to a business owner doing either promotions for their use that are working with them anything from General I'm in their staff sticker the of the beer containers with not under 21 or or you know having those discussions if they hear the kids talking about all we got a party tonight let's go do that and then that adult figure saying guys yet that could be dangerous and and here's the consequences and and here's the if you have the party at your house here's the Civil Life but your parents would be sued if somebody gets hurt on your property so it located on 7th and 7th right really developmental legalization it's difficult to know but even if parents parts is it good for young people at isn't and so the more educated they can become and it doesn't matter who you speak to where you fall on the legality versus that you reality everybody seems to have the same opinion they don't want kids using drugs around even pro-marijuana they don't want kids using drugs or alcohol the alcohol industry does not want kids using drugs or alcohol crack the what is a thing West End health education is that make it our business to be up on the latest information on the latest research and we're teaching these things two kids and kids are actually in many respects better informed about the effects of these chicken substance has been parents are because things have changed so fast so by engaging more parents we would like for the parents to be as educated as our kids are now about this to the we have ever laid a good strong Continuum of us standing so why we say it's a it's a what all in on it that we want to prevent are you I think I care for adults in our community to have an understanding why don't you is what why reasons my chest it's bad but really understanding why it is and what it's doing to the brain so that's why one of our favorites seem to be the influences teen brain under construction because when the teen brain is developed and we're giving it everything that we can to make sure that that team brain is going to just be the best brain that that could have it's important and I think sometimes we do that for a babies what time is what time is it how are you and John and of course message and be the influence what I I can't afford you guys enough for the fantastic listen to do this community let's talk about the skateboard park is specifically cuz this is one project that we're pretty passionate about because we really feel it will bring a lot of Engagement for you so I started with Parks and Rec I know that what about I want to watch Max for that I know quite a bit of the history having fun in the neighborhood community when it was coming together and really what what he did conjunction with the parks recreation department staff back then was put Wyndham on the map honestly in the skatepark Ralph I mean and people knew that in the region and then that's pretty important and then I kind of came in at a bad time for the skatepark expected any park after 20-plus years  has some age and everything and but I really think that what he started is so important and it gets under my forever. it is often underserved and they should have a bag of that thing to me this is the place where that itch have nothing to do with that patch Heights this is where they're bothering this is this is there and they have every right to have that and wait until we have a responsibility so we met although when I came in this time where are the elements that Matt Walton literally built anything he was there with hammer nails and screw guns and everything they thought it was time for them to come down but we are working on having them replaced and we have a big plans I remember the Heyday of the skatepark when kids would be waiting just for space to get in and juggling to take turns and what I would teaching class and they're looking at the clock knowing that as soon as that bell rings are on their way down here and I am so sad to see the state that it's become because it's a lost opportunity for our entire community so I'm really excited about the prospect of bringing this back even better because we've seen it and we've lost it and now we know how precious it is take a look at we have now because we really want to look into the future we want you to be part of that process of helping us to bring this back to life and we need support in order to do that so Matt what would you like to start spend Saturday so like I said earlier and whoever was looking for a positive answer for these juvenile crimes that were dated or dealing with him and an opportunity came to apply for a grant to the Juvenile Justice Ezra group we applied for the grant put in this great concept we are going to take it and build a great skate park and we are going to expand the program that I run called aerial adventure and we applied for what $70,000 I forget exactly what it was now $13,000 all go ahead with your skatepark idea how do we do this I'm asking but it's untruthfully it was a play experience not just for me but but for the rec department also but there are some key elements that we wanted we wanted a decent-size ramps because we are going under the auspices of when kids don't have a positive risk available to them they will naturally gravitate towards the negative risk so we wanted to make it Rescue by making some nice big tall ramps that really didn't exist in Maine whatsoever at the time we took from this we took input from a person that we met that was able to build ramps and we set it up for the high school in the parking lot and and we have like 4 weeks and we had not to think we have everything from town councillor saying it was going to fail this is just a passing fad fad which was said by other people while the turnout was so big and so large and so amazing Rihanna supervise music playing we did everything we could have this cool and it was open till midnight on Friday and Saturday night so that the kids had that positive place to be in those laying around there when I say kids I really shouldn't be saying teens have that part place to be so it ended up being a huge success and then we had all these down counselors and everybody coming to us saying hey we want to go to the permanent Park and we had the principal High School what I'm saying hello circus party my parking lot back to high school and we ended up doing this site that you see here on donations and just about $15,000 at the town was Abe Southwest and you know if you take a look at what we have here we've got now to prep this site the way it is to start fresh as probably going to be in your hundred thousand dollars once you put it was the asphalt that it requires and so on and so on probably won't go to work yeah cuz right we've already so the good news is we already have already have a big chunk of it so we have I had applied for land and water conservation fund of course that. Process is lengthy it's the federal government so it took us awhile to know that we had actually been approved and will receive the fun so we're in the middle of a process this is a part of a larger Park this is becoming the Wyndham Community Park you look up you look behind you in the gardens are there we have a very active community garden group we have a concept plan that has been developed already and it will include basketball courts volleyball playground with walking trails that judges and just meet you at we know that this site will become a place for for all ages however the skate park is right there on the top of the priority list and the grant that we have written it's help do those the site work for the park at South the whole part and then going to the skatepark is the first element to be built have parents in cells that are also here mixed in with the T yanderes the Fantastic efforts so what can we do as a community so we have already we started we had our first meeting on July 30th and we had approximately 8 skateboarders they're not they're not just young team and they are so excited to be part of the process and they have enthusiasm and energy and some life experience now and they want to tell everybody how what does pardon has been to them and still is I'm so they didn't go away it's not a bad it's it's it's not a trend it's a part of who they are so we need some input and what we're looking at is a plaza Style three parts that's what a lot of them they wanted face they told this gentleman I'll what they're looking for in the elements that they like and they were provided with a questionnaire to page questionnaire that they all really filled out in details provided a lot of information so that company will be coming back with to contact plans folks will have an opportunity to kind of boat on their favorite and it'll what will make that very public so that they can do that and we do have a fundraising event and soul $100,000 dedicated to the park right now we have every plan do you want to apply to some other grant opportunities the Tony Hawk Foundation being one of them and that he that needs to be a concrete Park in order for them to fund that so that's why Salamence we've already met that we've met that so we want to add to that hundred thousand dollars on the skateboarders themselves that were at our meetings they came again to the advisory committee two weeks later so there and they are all in and they brought a few of their friends too I'm so they want to be here we're looking at the last weekend in October we need to finalize which day and which time that would be they like to have kind of a state board exam they want to have a barbecue and then show off their stuff and have some flies in it and free lessons and they have a lot of ideas but that was kind of their teeth and we're so excited to be working with that support this effort where it should be they can contact me at the parks recreation department on and we have a website that can find information right there when I'm recreation.com that will be that will be there yes we love to have fun Bishop's for that and have that ready for October 13th event okay and that will will kick that off and then we'll have it be going around the community again with other people contributing to it no and if I'm not mistaken with a really what you need is funds I have some people that might have some skills that I came out they might want to donate over which is nice and wonderful but really what you need is funds because point in place concrete skatepark South I will be putting that out to bed and somebody will be coming in to do that it will need to be in order to quote to fulfill the needs of ours grant that will be completed by September of 2019 but much more likely in the spring of 2019 nice so come to the event at the end of October on our website and in the newspaper for details as to when that it will actually be we need to solidify that yeah wonderboard and if anybody wants to make a donation without being solicited there while watching this they want to help out the skatepark and just go see Linda you know you don't need to be like to meet and discuss and donate what you want and I'm sure we'll make sure everything is spent the right here at the state bug why don't you just reiterate to if you want to become part of eating everybody's at Prospect we can make a huge difference in the community with face types of activities with just being a good role model for everybody and helping that process soap make sure to contact one of us are with PTI just checking thank you so much for coming and sharing

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