| The Afro-American Newspapers | Your Community. Your History. Your... http://www.afro.com/sections/news/baltimore/story.htm?storyid=2418 Subscriptions | Advertise | Login | Register | search NEWS SPORTS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT OPINION LOCAL BUSINESS VIDEO / MULTIMEDIA SEARCH CLASSIFIEDS Advertisements Baltimore News Home News Baltimo re New s Originally published September 01, 2010 Students Voice Concerns on First Day of School by Melissa Jones Students at Dr. Rayner Browne Academy began the school year on Aug. 30 with a lesson in civic engagement. City Council President Bernard Young and Councilman Warren Branch sat down for lunch with seven sixth and seventh-graders to discuss open letters they wrote to Branch as a part of the Summer SPLASH program. The program was created by Elev8 Baltimore, which helps middle grade students transition to high school. The letters expressed concerns the students had about their schools and surrounding neighborhoods. “I’m almost embarrassed and I’m ashamed. I know first-hand that these kids are seeing blight and hopelessness,” said Young. “We want to instill in them that there is hope and that we are working on solutions.” The students asked for new trash cans on the corner to help curb littering in the streets and that the city increase trash pickup days. One student spoke about the condition and subsequent lack of recreational centers, which the Council president took as an invitation to herald his position on funding the Department of Parks and Recreation. Another questioned the pair about crime prevention and getting guns off the streets. At the top of their lists was their concern for the overwhelming number of vacant and abandoned houses surrounding their homes and school. “We have to find out if most of these houses are owned by the city or whether City Co uncil President Bernard "Jack" they are privately owned,” said Young in response. “We will try to get some Young was on hand to listen to student torn down but the state and the federal government cut back demolition concerns. (Courtesy Photo) money, so we’re going to have to be creative in how we go about doing these things.” Story Tools Sixth-grader Jawayne Johnson’s biggest concern was how long it would take to see the changes that Young and Branch addressed. To that, the councilman and council president Share | did not have a definitive answer. Young closed the event by encouraging students to remain engaged in their communities Comments and to reach out to other elected officials like Baltimore City Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and President Obama. There are currently 0 comments. Be the next to make a comment. Post a comment Login | Register Archives Polls Check out related stories, research geneologies, or peruse all that our Has Alveda King, Ph.D., archives have to offer. violated the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr by Click Here to get started! appearing with Fox News conservative personality, Glenn Beck on the National Mall this past weekend? No! She has the right to Comments appear with whomever she pleases in support of her There are no comments at this time. anti abortion movement. Yes! She was used as a token by Beck to cover the absence of meaningful Black support for his points of view. Become a fan on Follow us on 1 of 2 9/3/2010 10:10 AM | The Afro-American Newspapers | Your Community. Your History. Your... http://www.afro.com/sections/news/baltimore/story.htm?storyid=2418 www.Groupon.com/DC Ads by Google NEWS ARTS & LOCAL VIDEO / ENTERTAINMENT MULTIMEDIA AFRO Briefs AFRO Clean Green Books Block Baltimo re New s SEARCH Baltimore, Maryland Office Health Baltimore Community Headquarters National News Movie Reviews Baltimore Events CLASSIFIEDS 2519 North Charles Street Baltimo re, MD 21218 Automotive Prince George's County Voice: News Music Reviews Character Education 410-554-8200 Career Corner Special Co verage Photography D.C. Community Washington, D.C. Office Headquarters Real Estate Washington D.C. News D.C. Events 1917 Benning Road N.E. OPINION Washington, DC 20002 D.C. Fab! Exposed Voice: Cartoons SPORTS 202-332-0080 Living for the Weekend Commentary Co llege Contact Us Maryland Government Co lumnists Edito rial Obituaries High School Have You Seen This Yet? AANIC - African-American Rambling Rose News & Information Consortium Social Scene Afro-American Newspapers The Atlanta Voice The Dallas Weekly BUSINESS Philadelphia Tribune Citizen Group Real Estate Houston Defender Indianapolis Recorder St. Louis American New York Amsterdam News 2 of 2 9/3/2010 10:10 AM.