TAMPA, Fla. — While Tampa city leaders continue to search for solutions and discuss a teen curfew, community members and organizations are shedding light on programs available to help keep kids in Tampa occupied and engaged.
“Honestly, when you come to Copeland, it’s like everybody around you becomes family,” said Terry Johnson.
On a basketball court at Copeland Park in Tampa, a group of young adults and teens put the game first and played as a team.
“I’ve just been here growing up since I was 8, little boy,” said Dak’Tari Hall. “Started coming here for an after school program, fell in love with the program ever since.”
ABC Action News caught up with Dak’Tari Hall and Terry Johnson, who were playing basketball, and shared just how much sports and other programs have impacted their lives.
“Here, it’s open all the time, so me and my friends around the neighborhood, it keeps us off the streets from doing negative stuff, stuff we shouldn’t be doing, and it just allows us to go through with our passion, things that we love, such as basketball,” said Hall.
“Probably just sitting at home doing nothing or getting into something I ain’t got no business honestly, but this helps keep everyone safe,” said Johnson.
Right now, safety is top of mind as Tampa Police and Tampa Parks and Rec are working together with the goal of expanding an evening youth program known as Stay and Play.
City leaders said the police department is looking to apply up to $280,000 to an expansion of youth services like the Stay and Play program.
The city said Stay and Play would extend its hours up to midnight during spring break and into this summer through additional funding. It is currently available from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. during school holiday breaks and until 11:00 p.m., seven days a week during the summer, at 9 city park locations.
“We know that with idle time, that’s usually when things happen, so again, the Y just wants to be a place where we’re giving them purpose,” said Zuley Castro, an Associate Executive Director with the Tampa YMCA.
Castro pointed to their Teen Leaders Club, a program teaching teens leadership skills and to give back to the community.
“We have teens that they start, they’re in their first year and like you can’t get them to say anything in the meetings, and by year three, they are in an officer position, they’re leading the meeting,” said Castro.
No matter what it is, people in the community realize how important these programs are to help keep teens active, engaged, and on the right path.
“This is a great alternative,” said Johnson. “Everybody coming in here, having a great time, playing around with your friends and stuff.”
