How does Peorias Exercise the Right Choice address programming for teens?
It’s a mentoring program for high school youth at risk, preferably minorities, to pursue a degree in parks and recreation. Most are juniors, and currently we’re at 10 students. One graduated in December. She was wasn’t in a regular high school setting. She’s a 17-year-old with two children. She got into our program and attended an alternative school for mothers studying for GED. Right now she’s at ICC (Illinois Central College), and taking her first semester of college classes. Ac this point she’s going into recreation. ICC has agreed to pick up two years of tuition. They are a cooperating college, trying to help our community, especially with minorities and youth at risk. IP&R Have you found any barriers for minorities in the field, whether as a female or an ethnic minority? I think with women the park district has not shown me any barriers. There are quite a few women on the staff. [The Peoria Park District is] always looking for minorities to be in the field. It’s hard to find [mino
