Chad Brown - 10/20

This week I started going to the Boys & Girls Club at Chad Brown. The age group of the kids is 11-18, but all the children there on Thursday night were between 11 and 14. We were shown around the club; they have an art room, gym, and game room on the first floor. I participated in art class with the kids, and then played basketball for the rest of the time. Most of the kids live in the Chad Brown housing development. The club is supposed to be a safe place where the students can get help with their homework, be supervised, get fed, and relax. There has been some gang fights in the club in the past, however. The door is kept locked at all times, and only members are allowed in by the staff. It was an eye-opening experience. I was really struck by two things. One, the average household income for 3.3 people is $9, 079. Two, the children I spoke with did not have the same skemata as other children their age who grew up in more affluent communities.