IRVINE : Council OKs $30,000 for Teen Activities

They are the children caught in the middle.

Too old for most child-care programs and too young for afternoon high school activities, many middle school students in their early teens have trouble finding productive things to do after school, officials said.

Some seek refuge in front of the television or at shopping malls, while others begin misbehaving in ways that can cause more serious problems as they grow older.

A report on youth violence in the city concluded that offering more afternoon activities for middle school students was one way of reducing teen crime.

Last week, council members implemented the report recommendation by allocating $30,000 to establish a Youth Action Team at middle schools in the city.

The money will be used in part to provide sports and other after-school activities.

“We want to give kids with too much time on their hands something to do,” Councilwoman Christina L. Shea said. “These programs are designed to keep the kids off the streets and out of trouble.”

The activities will be offered in an informal setting, with the emphasis on having fun rather than on learning.

Shea said the middle school years represent a transition period when parents often give their children more responsibility and independence.

“Parents think that a 10- or 11-year-old kid doesn’t need a lot of supervision,” Shea said. “And when (a child) gets to that age, (he or she) doesn’t want baby-sitting.”

But the city’s Youth Community Task Force found that children in their early teens need challenging activities that keep them from developing bad habits, Shea said.

“At this age, they still need supervision,” she said.

In June, the City Council had allocated $85,000 to pay for other after-school activities.

The Irvine Unified School District board has set aside money to increase school security.

The district is also working to add ethics and nonviolent conflict resolution curriculum in schools.