‘Friday Nite Live’ Youth Program Targets Troublesome Teens at Library Park

The city teamed up with several local organizations last week in the latest effort to tame troublesome teens during the weekly Friday Night Family Festival.

As part of its “Square One” program, the--in conjunction with the city, school district, Monrovia Association of Fine Arts and the Monrovia/Arcadia Ministerial Association--launched its “Friday Nite Live” program Friday in . 

The initiative, aimed in particular towards “at-risk youth,” is providing “a variety of magnetic and engaging positive activity choices for the youth of our community,” according to the program’s mission statement. 

“We want to transform the environment in the park,” said Ulises Gutierrez, the YMCA's community outreach coordinator. “Young people are bored. They are looking for things to do. We want to build caring relationships with these kids.”

Members of the Square One team spent the past three weeks in the park talking with teens and surveying them about the activities they would like to be involved in. 

“We surveyed almost 100 kids, and have put in place programs based on their interests,” Gutierrez said. “In addition, we want to develop a youth council and give them leadership rolls.” 

“‘Friday Nite Live’ is targeting the kids who are already here,” Susan Hirsch of said. “Our goal is not to chase kids away.”

“We want to offer activities that they want to do,” Hirsch added. 

Over the years, Library Park--particularly on a Friday night in the summer--has . Teens congregate there with little to do and have disrupted the Friday night festival with raucous behavior.

But according to Monrovia Park Ranger B.L. Thomas-Hunter, the perception  of the kids as troublemakers does not entirely reflect reality.

“Kids are bored. The average age of the kids here is 14. Really, the kids have been great, no problems,”  Thomas-Hunter said. “There could be kids who influence others in a negative way, but not here in the park. People see a crowd of kids and assume the worst.” 

The range of activities is as broad as the interests of the teens. Music and dance, art, food and one of Monrovia’s more unusual institutions--the Sword Play Club--were in evidence. 

The latter is an informal group of people who have been using padded “swords” and staffs to learn the techniques of medieval combat. They have been a regular sight in Library Park for 15-20 years. 

“This has always been the spot,” said Brian Douglas, a veteran of both traditional fencing and sword fighting with the Society for Creative Anachronism and the group’s de facto leader. “It always picks up in the summer.”

The arts were also a major part of the night’s activities. The Monrovia Association of Fine Arts kicked in $300 for supplies, and art teacher and MAFA member was on hand to encourage the kids to try their hands at painting. 

“MAFA believes in art education,” Berbarian said. “Kids need to have an outlet.”

“These are really wonderful kids,” she added. “Many have a lot to over come. We have homeless kids, kids on probation, kids who really want to become productive citizens. We need to help all of the kids in Monrovia.” 

And the kids? They were clearly involved. From bustin’ out their best moves for the DJ, to bashing about with “swords” to trying their hands at painting, they were all involved.

Even if it was only to eat the nachos.

For more information on how to volunteer, call the Santa Anita YMCA at 626-359-9244.