KYDS program provides activities to Van Nuys area youth

Keep Youth Doing Something (KYDS) Site Coordinator Andrea Ainsworth watches over students who are part of the KYDS program at Van Nuys Middle School.

By CYNTHIA GÓMEZ

“My report card use to show D’s and F’s before joining the “Keep Youth Doing Something (KYDS) after school program during the last school year at Van Nuys Middle School,” revealed eleven-year-old Ricardo Hernández. “I improved my school grades to a B average and I was able to turn my grades around,” he added.

“In the KYDS program there are a lot of things that will keep your mind busy instead of just hanging in the streets,” explained Hernández. Agreeing with her nephrew, Hernández’s aunt, Mónica Rincón said, “The youth who participate in KYDS are focused on positive activities. I think it’s a really good program and it keeps youth busy, not thinking about the wrong stuff to do.”

According to KYDS Enrichment Coordinator Erik Cruz, “The KYDS program provides youth with different after school activities in order to keep young people off the streets and help prevent youth from joining gangs. Just because you come from one place or another doesn’t necessarily determine the kind of character you have because a lot people come from low-income neighborhoods,” Cruz said.

Keep Youth Doing Something (KYDS) Enrichment Leader Robert Chatley (left) talks to KYDS Enrichment Coordinator Erik Cruz (right) during a martial arts class at Van Nuys Middle School. The martial arts class is one of the many activities the KYDS after school program offers to youth.

“ KYDS was started as a reconstruction project of several inner city parks that became targeted by gangs. The parks where no longer being used to service the community, she added. “KYDS started rebuilding those recreation centers, cleaning up the parks and making the parks available to youth sports groups.”

Dora De León, who provides security for the KYDS program at Van Nuys Middle School, pointed out Van Nuys is an area targeted with gang-violence and negative representations. The KYDS program helps youth to stay active by keeping them off the streets and doing something positive. “I think the KYDS programs provides a safe environment for youth to think in and have fun,” De León continued. “The program has a hour of homework time, but after that they’re pretty much allowed to make their own decisions. There many activities for youth to choose from but still those activities are fun.”

Andrea Ainsworth is a KYDS Site Coordinator who describes the youth program as a place to come and have positive role models. Ainsworth emphasized that the importance of having the KYDS program is that “all kids who participate have an equal opportunity. That’s why I think that the program is so important because it gives youth a chance to be different. Youth who participate at KYDS are not a number. As adults we need to give all kids a chance to strive to have a passion in something,” Ainsworth said.

KYDS is currently funded by several government grants including Beyond the Bell Branch, which is responsible for various programs and activities that are provided to students in several schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District. The KYDS program also provides tutoring in addition to the one hour of homework. Youth participants choose from various activities including martial arts, arts and crafts, keyboard lessons, and drill team.

“The program gives participants a chance to find something that they’re interested in doing,” Ainsworth continued. “The parents of many kids in our program work during the day. They don’t really have time to drive their children all over the place to participate in different activities. The KYDS program gives youth a chance to find something that they enjoy doing.”

Ainsworth announced: “The KYDS program is free to all students, but in order for a student to join the program, parents must fill out an application form and register their children. The program serves more than 100 students per day.”

For further information concerning the KYDS program, contact Van Nuys Middle School by calling (818) 267-5900 or visit the school located 5435 Vesper Avenue in Sherman Oaks.