At a red brick building in St. Louis Park, kids can bang out Latin and African drumbeats, try to pull a car bumper out of a winding creek or find time for a more conventional activity: homework.
Along the way they're tutored and challenged at the Meadowbrook Community Center by a host of adults, including teachers, the mayor, police officers and community members.
A national organization founded by retired Gen. Colin Powell cited that work Thursday in naming St. Louis Park one of the 100 best communities for young people.
It's the second time the inner-ring
Twin Cities suburb has earned the title from America's Promise -- The Alliance
for Youth, a group working to improve the lives of young people.
Two other Minnesota communities -- the Mankato area and the Rochester area
-- earned the recognition this year; both are also two-time winners. (The
competition was first held in 2005; it was on hiatus in 2006.)
"I just think it's a nice place," 10-year-old Collin Reece said of St. Louis Park. "We have local parks, recreation centers."
For three years, Collin has been going to the Meadowbrook Community Center, where children living in the once crime-troubled Meadowbrook housing complex learn arts and crafts and are whisked away on field trips. That's when they're not munching on cookies delivered by residents of a senior high-rise or chowing down on chili cooked by their mothers.
First Lady Laura Bush even paid them a visit last summer.
And Mayor Jeff Jacobs said the type of active involvement found at Meadowbrook can be found throughout the city.
On Thursday, citizens who were gathered at the Meadowbrook Community Center said St. Louis Park's small-town feel amid big-town surroundings earns high marks, too.
"I have this feeling that I'm being taken care of," said Kelsey Okey, a first-grade teacher and St. Louis Park native who tutors at the center.
Danielle Butler with America's Promise said another factor in the city's favor was its involvement with its large Orthodox Jewish community. Testimonials from young people and statistics including graduation rates, substance abuse and suicide rates were also considered, Butler said.
"The kids deserve a lot of the credit," said Linda Trummer, outreach coordinator for Meadowbrook Collaborative, which operates the community center. "They really do want to improve their lives."
Chao Xiong • 612-673-4391 • cxiong@startribune.com
Contact
us:
(952) 935-9239
trummer.linda@slpschools.org