Saving youths is priority
Earlier this month, Pine Bluff was shattered by a tragic shooting at Watson Chapel Junior High. It was devastating for a number of reasons. Not only are schools supposed to be safe ground, but the lives of two teenagers — and everyone who cared for them — were altered forever.
The suspect in the shooting, a Watson Chapel student, was arrested within hours. The victim, 15-year-old Watson Chapel student Daylon Burnett, succumbed to his injuries and died three days later. And since the shooting, students, faculty members, families and an entire community have been grieving and working to recover from trauma with the help of mental health workers and faith leaders.
Sadly, while the location of this tragedy may be extraordinary, violence among our young people is not uncommon. Gun violence is a major crisis that communities across the nation are suffering. In Pine Bluff, it has largely occurred as gang-related shootings that often result in fatalities. Too many of these incidents involve teenagers and young adults.
While these deaths are devastating, it is important that Pine Bluff not grow discouraged. Now is the time to channel our anger, grief and yearning for change into positive actions that will end this violence. As a city, enhancing youth programs is essential to this effort, which is why facilities like the Pine Bluff Community Center, formerly known as the Merrill Center, are needed now more than ever.
Renovations at the center were officially completed this month. Although the center will not open for normal operations until later this year, the public was invited for an open house on Sunday. The center now features new amenities and creative spaces, designed to inspire and cultivate the talents of our young people.
The art room will enable them to express themselves through coloring, painting, drawing and various crafts. The recording studio will be appreciated by those with a passion for music, giving them incredible resources to use their voices and share the thoughts and ideas brimming inside them.
The computer lab will be a place for children and teens to enter the digital world, acquire skills in technology and get support in learning. Our reading room will also be a learning hub, centered on building an excitement for literature. This is critical as the city seeks to support our schools in improving literacy among students.
There will even be a place for children and teens who are passionate about cooking. In the instructional kitchen, they will be able to experiment with new recipes and learn about healthy eating in fun, interactive classes.
These renovations are the result of generous support from our partners in the public and private sectors, as well as ongoing efforts by the city of Pine Bluff to upgrade this facility. We’re all united by the simple creed that young people are more successful when uplifted, inspired and supported. They are more prepared for the future when they’ve been given opportunities to explore and cultivate their talents. Children and teens are less likely to pick up guns or join gangs when community centers are there to guide them.
The Pine Bluff Community Center is not the last step in this effort. Moving forward, the city intends to invest in additional community centers across Pine Bluff, expanding our existing network of recreational facilities that include the Pine Bluff Aquatic Center, the Bloom Tennis Court and partnerships like TOPPs and the Jefferson County Boys and Girls Club. These investments will also include enhancing athletic activities, from existing sports such as tennis to new terrain like soccer.
These changes will not happen overnight, and they will not solve everything. Gun violence is also fueled by major socioeconomic factors that Pine Bluff, like many cities, is working aggressively to address. But we must work urgently to advance these efforts.
The city cannot do it alone. Community centers and youth programs can only thrive with dedicated volunteers and public involvement. This crisis affects all of us, and it will take all of us to solve it. We have the talents, potential and passion for change. Now it’s time to get it done and save our youth.