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Survey: Patterson teens bored, apathetic |
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Written by John Saiz / Patterson Irrigator
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Wednesday, 26 September 2007 |
“Instead of us adults determining what kids need, let’s have them tell us.”
— Adrienne Chaney
Recreation department director
Local youths are looking for more to do but aren’t willing to help bring activities to Patterson, according to a survey of more than 1,000 students.
Patterson’s parks and recreation department asked students three months ago at Patterson High School and Creekside Middle School about what they like to do and what activities they want in Patterson. The recreation department released the survey two weeks ago.
“Instead of us adults determining what kids need, let’s have them tell us,” said Adrienne Chaney, department director.
More than 51 percent of respondents said there are not enough youth activities, but almost the same amount of children also said they would not help create programs in the city.
The survey also indicates that teens’ most popular activity is soccer and that they hope a movie theater and mall will open in town.
Most students not only said soccer was their favorite evening activity, but also indicated it was their favorite activity to watch and their favorite activity to do with their families.
The recreation department plans to use the survey when it establishes programs, Chaney said.
In response to soccer’s popularity, Chaney suggested that the newly renovated Patterson Community Stadium at Salado and Ward avenues could be opened in the evenings for pickup games.
She compared the idea with a system the city has Friday and Saturday nights at Creekside Middle School.
“Like open-gym basketball, we’ll have an open stadium,” Chaney said.
Movies and a mall were the two most common responses teens gave when asked what new youth activities they’d like to see in Patterson. About 10 percent of respondents wanted a movie theater, and 7 percent wanted a mall.
Though the recreation department doesn’t have any plans or sufficient resources to build a theater or mall, Chaney said it might be able to organize a teen movie night. The recreation department already displays movies in North Park once a month during the summer at its Skate the Circle and movie nights, but those events are targeted to families.
Chaney envisions using the high school auditorium to show movies for an exclusively teen audience.
Students also wanted a bowling alley, skating rink and paintball club.
More than 62 percent of respondents said a good way to let them know about activities is through the social networking Web site MySpace. The local newspaper was the second most popular medium, with almost 39 percent saying it was a good way to find out about events.
The city’s Gang Task Force also used the survey to ask teens about safety. More than 52 percent of respondents said they feel safe walking in Patterson during the day. That figure drops to 28 percent at night.
When asked if illegal drugs were a problem, 37 percent of respondents agreed that “It’s a very big problem.” Thirty-four percent said underage drinking is a big problem, and 27 percent said gangs are a big problem. The survey went on to ask if youth activities would have a positive impact on children. Forty-eight percent answered “yes.”
The survey asked specifically if a youth jobs program would be beneficial. More then 72 percent said “yes.”
“It kind of answered questions I’d been asking myself,” Patterson Police Chief Tyrone Spencer said.
To reach John Saiz at the Irrigator, call 892-6187 or e-mail him at
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