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Written by DOMINIC ADAMS - dadams@kpcnews.net
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Thursday, 04 February 2010 10:47 |
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FORT WAYNE — Throughout the summer Chantell Davis saw hundreds of kids drop by the Jennings Recreational Center near downtown Fort Wayne where she worked as the playground supervisor for the City's parks department.
Davis started seeing certain kids come around often. Within that group, Davis noticed an even smaller group of girls that tended to sit and chat among themselves.
"I felt like with an adult involved, we could turn the talk into something more positive," Davis said. "A lot of kids are from single family homes and they don't have anyone to talk to. I wanted to be that outlet."
The outlet came in the form of a program dubbed "Girl's Talk." The twice-weekly sessions first ran for 10 weeks last fall. Davis said about 10 girls in the third through 12th grade regularly attended the free program.
At first, the program stressed respect and being good students, but then it evolved to discussing topics that are more serious.
"A lot of them are used to keeping things bottled inside," Davis said. "For them to be able to work together — with people they've never met before — they made friendships for life."
According to the Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics, there were 23 percent of kids that lived with only their moms in 2008, while 4 percent lived with just their dads and another 4 percent didn't live with either parent.
Davis said she'd like to get the girls discussing problems their having at school, at home and with friends now instead of waiting.
"If you get it started now, it's not hard to turn (their behavior) around," Davis said. "If they have a little thought that you really care then they'll turn around."
The program had an impact on its participants and they all said they'd come back in March when the program starts again. Davis said the program will run Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Jennings Recreation Center. Call 427-6700 with questions.
Sixth grader Alyseia Beasley said the she enjoyed planning and hosting a Halloween party at the rec center and she didn't know what to expect going into the program.
"It was kind of healing. When you can't talk to somebody, sometimes it effects you," Beasley said. "I'm glad that I did it because I never knew how it'd help me. The program gives me a chance to express myself in some way."
Another highlight of the group was a night playing laser tag and then a girls-only sleepover at Davis’ house.
Girls Talk helped Kamya Finan work through some anger issues, she said.
“I learned how to deal with things because before (the program) I would usually get in an argument,” Finan said. “I learned that if you’re nice to people they will be nice to you.”
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