Howard County teens need to know what programs are available to keep them engaged in positive activities.
“It would be nice if we had a youth fair,” said Michael Ponce, 15, a rising junior at Oakland Mills High School in Columbia.
Michael was one of a handful of teens who participated in a recent youth discussion group sponsored by People Acting Together in Howard.
PATH is a newly formed organization consisting of mostly religious organizations that hope to influence legislation in the county.
The group is focused on improving affordable housing, transportation and youth activities.
Michael said there needs to be “better modes of advertisement” to reach youngsters.
The fair would allow the information to be presented to youths in an organized way, he said.
To help teens better navigate the county, Michael said he would like to see the transportation system improve.
“It?s not effective,” he said about the 60-minute wait time for buses. PATH hopes to change the wait time to 30 minutes.
Michael?s youth minister, Wayman Scott, of St. John The Evangelist Roman Catholic Church in Columbia, said he would like to see a Friday activity night that would appeal to all teens.
“In my parish, we have some people making $150,000 a year, and we have other people who are immigrants who don?t have the money to buy a membership to the Columbia Association,” he said.
Scott said if county churches, the Parks and Recreation Department, and school system partnered to organize the Friday evening activity, it could be a success.
“The resources are there. What?s missing is the organizational part,” he said.
Hector Rodriguez, PATH?s organizer, said the youth discussion is the first in what PATH hopes will become a regular dialogue among youngsters in the county.
“It was a nice exchange,” he said.
The meeting was held Saturday at St. John The Evangelist, which is inside the Wilde Lake Interfaith Center in Columbia.
