Helping Our Youth

OK. So I’ve become somewhat of a leadership junkie. I took the
Leadership Gilroy class in 2003 and joined the board last year. I
heard that a Leadership San Benito program was forming about a year
ago. Knowing how valuable my experience in Leadership Gilroy was, I
jumped at the opportunity.
 
OK. So I’ve become somewhat of a leadership junkie. I took the Leadership Gilroy class in 2003 and joined the board last year. I heard that a Leadership San Benito program was forming about a year ago. Knowing how valuable my experience in Leadership Gilroy was, I jumped at the opportunity. 

Our class has met just a few times, but already I’m enjoying the friendships and personal enrichment the experience offers. And just when you think you know Hollister or San Juan Bautista, the facilitators and guest speakers of the program surprise you with a much deeper understanding of how San Benito County ticks. From health and safety services, to politics, to economic trends in the region, we get an inside look at the county from the experts.

Then there’s the class project. Some leadership programs require this exercise, and some don’t. I personally enjoy working on a community service project with my classmates, although trying to find the time can sometimes be challenging. Once you come out the other side and see a “finished product,” though, it’s truly rewarding.

 Our class of nearly 30 discussed all of the different groups in the community that could use our help. From nonprofit organizations to schools to the city itself, the list just seemed daunting. Our facilitator helped us whittle down the list, and a theme that we were all passionate about kept coming up: youth.

This community of leaders is obviously very concerned about the future of our young people. The infiltration of gangs in our community through the last several years is a significant problem that threatens the well-being of all kids.

Leadership class members have decided to step up and do something to fight the problem. We’re working with the schools, the police and sheriff’s department, and – I’m happy to say – your community TV station.

The Leadership San Benito Class of 2006 is producing a gang prevention video geared towards fourth- and fifth-graders in San Benito County. Based on the advice of law enforcement, this needs to be our target audience, as it’s almost too late for the older kids. Sadly enough, many of them are already involved in gangs.

The video has three parts. We let the kids know what a gang really is and how to avoid them. Then we are going to showcase all of the positive activities there are for youth. We’re talking local activities – sports, 4-H, hip-hop dance groups, the skate park.

This class is collectively discovering that, believe it or not, San Benito County has a lot for kids to do. We just need to get the word out and meet some of the kids who choose these positive outlets for their energy.

If you didn’t know there was a gang problem in our community, it might be because you missed the signs. We all need to be educated on this, folks. It’s not just a problem for certain parts of the town or certain demographics.

So, don’t be alarmed when you see adults in VERY bright yellow shirts interviewing people on the street with a microphone and videocamera. They’re working to inform your community and make it a better place! Keep your eyes peeled for a premiere screening of the video in June.