LBPOST.com: Summit Uses New Media To Promote Youth Involvement

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Summit Uses New Media To Promote Youth Involvement

by Ryan ZumMallen | Long Beach News | 01.26.10 |

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10:15am | More than 50 local youths participated in a day summit to discuss leading healthy lifestyles at the Holiday Inn in downtown Long Beach over the weekend, as several organizations aimed at improving the quality of life for at-risk teens came together to learn and discuss how using new media tools can help them get involved in their communities.

The event is called the MO Project, and an organization called CANFIT (Community, Adolescents, Nutrition, Fitness) holds them all over the nation to give youngsters the chance to share their stories of getting involved with the use of social media such as YouTube. Teens tell their tales of community activism, which sparks discussion among the group about the best ways to make a difference.

In one video, a young lady recites a poem about the things she sees on the streets in her crime-ridden neighborhood. In another, a young man raps about the benefits of eating nutritiously.

On Saturday, local youths from organizations such as Long Beach Weed & Seed, the Boys & Girls Club of Long Beach, Educated Men With Meaningful Messages and Network For A Healthy California participated.

The event was significant and positive, particularly because the groups that participated typically aim to promote good decision-making and healthy living among at-risk youth. The successes of Weed & Seed as an anti-gang youth support organization that encourages volunteerism have been well documented, while Educated Men With Meaningful Messages focuses specifically on educating Southeast Asian teen males on pregnancy prevention and other community issues. Bringing all of the groups and their ideas together made for a productive day of discussion and community involvement.

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2 Comments so far.

KaRi
The average kid watches 4 to 6 hours of TV per day. This doesn't include computer usage, text messaging. Clinton has ongoing GRANTS to get kids exercize. Questions: How many calories does one burn talking, reciting poems, rapping? I bet rapping takes the most energy ;) Last question: Were any of these 50 youths ever overweight?

One
Wow.. so the solution is to single out overweight kids and force kids to exercise? Forget what they are into! Today's society is not like before. If you work with young people, you'll know that you gotta meet them where they are and find ways to promote a positive message within that (this event being health). Obviously young people need to be more active as you pointed out, but are other youth themselves promoting it? No. Instead its righteous adults who think they know better! Which makes for a better message? And btw.. Clinton grants are also supported by Pepsi and other junk food businesses.

Long Beach News

LBPOST.com Managing Editor Ryan ZumMallen keeps up on all the current and breaking Long Beach news.

Ryan ZumMallen has served as the managing editor of the LBPOST.com since 2007. He graduated from CSULB with a degree in Print Journalism in 2008 and is a member of the 2009 class of Leadership Long Beach. You can find him on various basketball courts around the city.

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