Youth

News for the 18-and-under crowd

ANAHEIM

Library Week Events Stress ‘Joy of Reading’

After reading “Gino Bandino” to a sixth-grade class at Paul Revere Elementary School last month, John L. Ayala, Fullerton College’s librarian and dean of learning resources, delivered a valuable message.

“Go to the library,” he said. “Read whatever you like. It’ll expand your vocabulary. No matter what you read, it will help you.”

Ayala and several other community leaders and volunteers from across the county visited schools to read books and encourage students to get library cards and make reading a daily routine as part of National Library Week.

Paul Revere’s assistant principal, Zoraida Green, said the event’s purpose was to “celebrate the joy of reading.”

At her school, members of the Chicano Poet Society read books, recited poetry and encouraged the students to read to succeed in life.

Also, Fullerton College counselor Enrique (Kiki) Zuniga read “Stellaluna,” a book about a bat who learns to fly like a bird by repeatedly practicing until she is successful.

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COSTA MESA

Project STOP Aims to Halt Gang Affiliation

A program to help youths stay away from gangs and be successful in school and life has been launched at Estancia and Costa Mesa high schools.

Project STOP-- Supportive Teen Outreach Program--offers red, yellow and green tags to students based on their grades and attitudes. The goal is to reach the green level.

Red-tag students must be willing to get out of gangs and stop using drugs. Yellow-tag youngsters must be in anti-gang counseling programs and maintain a C average or be in a tutoring program. Green-tag students cannot have any gang affiliation, cannot ditch school and must maintain at least a B average, said Roy Alvarado, the program’s founder and director.

Program participants are taken on field trips and introduced to doctors, lawyers and other professionals who encourage them to strive for a career and higher education, Alvarado said.

“I’m already seeing some kids dramatically turn their lives around,” he said. “We even have a waiting list.”

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WESTMINSTER

Applicants Sought for Police Explorers

The Police Department is seeking youths between the ages of 14 and 18 to join the Police Explorer program.

Explorers get firsthand law-enforcement experience by working in such areas as bicycle licensing, traffic and crowd control at parades and festivals. Explorers must maintain at least a C average and have no criminal record, officials said.

The Explorer post meets at 7 p.m. at the police station, 8200 Westminster Blvd., on first and third Wednesdays. Those interested in joining may obtain an application at a meeting.

--COMPILED BY MIMI KO