Mary Sennet, Coordinator of Youth Services, Mesa Police Department is running a new program M.E.S.A. which stands for "Making Every Student Accountable."When it comes to being proactive in helping troubled kids who else but the police department could make an impact. The article is featured in the East Valley Tribune, January 18, page A4.In reading about the new pilot program Mesa Police Chief Gascon brought to the City of Mesa, I was encouraged and hopeful that the young people involved would truly catch the impact by the methods used to demonstrate the possible end result of a life troubled and without hope. The teens were shown how they might die if they continued making bad decisions.The program officially begins January 29 using physical training, learning about anger management, etiquette, gangs, leadership, plus classes at McKellips Middle School run by Mesa Public Schools - an alternative school for troubled students.Hopefully, this program will be a success, continue, and reach more youth throughout the city. It will bring crime rates down as teens get a wake up call toward a productive life. We as a community can encourage and suppport these efforts.
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As a parent of a child that was victimized by the “troubled youth” the MPD wants to help out, I am insulted.
My question, are the parents of these trouble youth going to be required to come with them to the program? That is the biggest problem with these kids, they have no parental intervention or parents who blame schools and the police dept when their kids get into trouble rather than kicking their kids a** when they do wrong.
These kids are posers who think that they are off of the block in LA or NYC. Put the trouble makers and their parents on a bus and send them to the center of LA where they will have a good look at what being a troubled teen is really about. How about sending them to Harlem or places like St.Louis or Seatlle….Than all of their k-Momo wearing days will be over. That would definitely be worth my tax dollars and I know could take the place of the community service some of these little posers have to do….
These kids want attention and direction, let their parents get involved and pay for it. I guarantee they will learn alot. I also have a feeling the do gooders at the police dept are gonna learn from these kids too.
Start with the parents and than work with the kids…I can guarantee that the won’t be troubled anymore. They need structure to begin at home, not the Police dept babysitting talking AT (not to) them in a program that sounds like it equates to the lessons drivers learn in traffic school. If their parents allow them to be bad and allow them to make bad choices, they are going to do it…although I do applaud the MPD’s efforts, unless the parents are involved, these kids will never learn anything.
By the way, what is the Police Dept doing for the kids who are not troubled youth?
Making Every Student Accountable google this it is not found. WOW seem everyone is talking about this
Ron,
I found M.E.S.A. on Google several times including one in Spanish. Yahoo! also has the program listed. Try it with quotation marks around it - “Making Every Student Count” - that may help sort the topic better.
Concerned Parent:
I agree troubled youth most often are the result of a lack of parental involvement. Some parents may not know how to be parents because they themselves were not parented properly.
We do best if there is a good value system lived and taught in the home, teaching children through interested active participation in their lives, telling them how valuable they are and giving them a good and bright vision for their future. Words spoken over a child teach who they are good or bad, and appropriate touch - a hug, sitting next to a child, a hand on their shoulder - make a big difference.
As far as other programs for youth - check out the City of Mesa web page - I do know the Mesa PD have had an Explorer Program in place. There are also other areas within the city where youth can volunteer and contribute in meaningful ways. http://www.cityofmesa.org