COLUMBUS, Ohio — Community organization We Are Linden received funding from the city to provide summer camps for youth in the community.
"It's just stuff to do during the summer so you're not bored,” London Arnold, a teen in the program, said.
The We Are Linden camp is serving nearly 90 kids between the ages of 11-17 this summer. Ralph Carter, the organizer, said the city only approved funding for 30 kids, but he would never turn away a family.
"We're trying to give them that positive outlet to just be youth,” Carter said.
Along with helping in cleaning up the community, there’s also plenty of time for fun, and even personal development, like lessons in conflict resolution and other life skills.
"Skills that they don't necessarily possess because they're so used to being inside their cell phones or inside their rooms or if they are outside, they're not engaging in a positive way,” Carter said.
Some of the teens even get stipends for helping out at camp.
"We get paid to come here, but like when we're here we're also learning so like it's just money, you're learning, and you're also not bored all day,” Arnold said.
Carter even helps to encourage the youth in his program to try public speaking.
"It gets you out of your comfort zone and other people can you know really - when you speak you can get to know people and people can get to know you and sometimes it makes you feel comfortable,” Myaah Reed, another teen in the program, said.
Carter added that the program is also key in keeping kids from getting into trouble.
"As long as the kids are doing something rather than just sitting in the house having idle time, cause that's when the issues lie because they are in that phone,” Carter said.