Today’s guest post is written by Angela Strange, Executive Director of Park View Kids Zone in Washington, DC. Park View Kids Zone provides after-school, weekend, and summer programming for youth.

"Park View Kids Zone has been impacting the Park View Community over the past 19 months. We have had a significant impact on a number of families. One of our most recent success stories is a teenage boy who lives in the Park View neighborhood. He has a very hardworking single mom who works two jobs and is looking for a third. His mother has been doing the best she can to provide for their family, but unfortunately her son has been raising himself because of her schedule. He was on truancy, failing the 10^th grade, and participating in risky behavior.

He started attending PVKZ in March of this year after seeing all his friends going to our programs. As a result of receiving love and encouragement during Teen Art Night and After-School at PVKZ he was motivated to get on the right path. He worked with a DC Cares tutor everyday during after-school. Through the tutoring he received in the last six weeks of school he was able to bring his grades from F’s to B’s. He finished the year with no more absences or tardiness and passed the 10^th grade. His chemistry teacher called me from her classroom in shock to tell me that he got the highest grade in all her classes on his final exam! All of his teachers noticed a change in attitude and confidence as well. He spends six days a week participating or volunteering with PVKZ programs now and has completely stayed out of trouble. He has made new friends through PVKZ who encourage him to continue to work hard.

This motivated teen attended our college trip last week and has decided he wants to go to the University of Tennessee. When we first met him in March he didn’t want to go to college at all. We realized that he didn’t want to go to college because he believed he couldn’t ever make it in college. Now he is focused on school because he is determined not only to go to college, but to get academic scholarships. His mother is very grateful and feels like she has her son back. She has peace of mind knowing that he is at PVKZ and in a safe learning environment with people who love and care for him. We are excited to see what his future holds! We know it will be bright!"

For more information on Park View Kids Zone click here.

Sidenote 8/5/11: HandsOn Greater DC Cares and the Park View Recreation Center partnered to create the Park View Kids Zone, a local Neighboring initiative. It has been just one of the many HandsOn Greater DC Cares’ resident-led programs impacting families in the Park View Community.