Teens Can Dance If They Want To, and They Do
By Ivette Estrada, CCDO Program Manager
High schoolers enjoy the dance.
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Showing off moves at "The Spot."
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Incorporating teens into the community is a difficult job. Steering them away from the pressure to use drugs and alcohol is often an even bigger mission, but not for the Westside/South Valley Albuquerque Weed and Seed site. Its dances are bringing teens inside and off the streets and their parents love it.
"The Spot" at the Alamosa Community Center is a drug-free place where teens come to dance on Friday nights, usually on a monthly basis. Teens are able to interact socially with other teens, adults, and law enforcement officials at the dances, which are open to middle and high school students. On average, 200 to 250 teens attend, and many of them take a lead role in organizing the dances by selecting themes and music.
The South Valley Male Involvement Project, sponsored by the New Mexico Department of Health, presented the idea of holding dances to the Seed Committee as a way to engage youth. The goals of the project are to reduce sexually transmitted diseases in teenagers, teen pregnancy, and teen violence through healthy recreational activities. During the dances, organizers hand out promotional items to test the teens' awareness and knowledge of health issues and the community center displays information about safe health practices on screens. Dance organizers enforce a strict dress code (e.g., no gang attire), and teens pass through metal detectors and are subject to searches as well. Anyone who misbehaves at a dance is not allowed to attend future events.
By leveraging resources, the City of Albuquerque pays for a professional DJ and use of the center. The Albuquerque Police Department provides security by assigning officers to the dances. The South Valley Male Involvement Project donates staff time to dances as well as meetings.
"As a result of these dances, the teens feel valued and respected by the adults," said Dolores Herrera, Site Coordinator for the Albuquerque Westside/South Valley Weed and Seed site. "They are held up to high standards of behavior and in return trust is established between the youth and adults."
Brian Serna, who helps run the South Valley Male Involvement Project, agrees with Herrera, saying the youth now have an opportunity to network, which gives them a sense of respect and acceptance and a feeling of being safe. "Through these events, kids must conform to rules which make them act accordingly and positively influence their character and morale," he said.
Recruitment is a challenge, though. According to Serna, "It's tough competing with the alternative of drinking and using drugs. It's a high-poverty area, transportation is difficult—the infrastructure is not there." His team invites youth to reach out to their friends, create fliers announcing the dances, and identify individual youth's talents. The fliers are posted at the Eastside Albuquerque and Westside/South Valley sites. Organizers also track attendees by ZIP Code when teens sign in at the dance (signing in is voluntary).
The dances have been rewarding for the community, establishing a true collaboration between service providers, youth, parents, and law enforcement. In addition, parents' reactions to the dances are favorable, according to Serna. "They see police cars and it makes them feel happy and secure. For them, no news is good news."
For more information, contact:
Dolores Herrera
Westside/South Valley Weed and Seed Site Coordinator
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