South Seattle’s Youth Summit planning is underway, with the next meeting set for Monday, March 8th from 3:30pm – 5:30pm at the Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, located at 4408 Delridge Way SW in West Seattle.

According to a post on the White Center Community Development Association website:

Attention youth and students!

This year’s Youth Summit planning is underway, so if you’d like to get involved and/or if you’re looking for service learning hours, please contact estevan@youthmediaseattle.org.

Youth Media Institute and other youth organizations at Youngstown have been longtime partners and supporters of White Center CDA.

Last year, the youth summit was held in White Center, and this year it will include all of our South Seattle communities, so expect a larger event and even more fun!

“Got Green?,” a program of the White Center Community Development Association, is hosting its first open house from 6pm-8pm on Wednesday, March 17th at the Columbia City South Side Commons Building, located at 3518 S. Edmunds Street.

According to the WCCDA:

Expect food, entertainment, multimedia presentations and the chance to network with Got Green and their community partners on how to support Green jobs, Green initiatives, youth, low-income communities of color and more.

Child care is available – this event is open and free to the public.

Please see flier below for more information, or visit the Got Green website:

The White Center Community Development Association’s blog reports that the White Center Teen Program’s Aztec Soccer team will be playing in the U15 championship game this Saturday (Feb. 27th) at 1pm at Starfire Sports Complex, located at Interurban Ave S. and Fort Dent Way in Tukwila.

Here’s the post:

This was sent to us from Darlene Sellers, White Center Teen Program Recreation Coordinator at King County Parks:

“Thank you all for your continued support of the White Center Teen Program Aztec Soccer Team! The program is continuing to grow with over thirty committed players and two competitive teams. We are pleased to share that the younger team is playing in the U15 championship game this Saturday at 1:00 at Starfire sports complex (Interurban Ave S & Fort Dent Way, Tukwila). If by chance you happen to be in the Tukwila neighborhood this weekend – we’d love to see you there. The game runs for a total of 45 minutes and will be played indoors on field 2. Admission is free but Starfire will most likely be collecting $5 for parking. Thanks again for your support and please have a great weekend”

Go Aztecs! Here’s the video:

The Aztecs from Heath Ward on Vimeo.

The White Center Teen Program is part of King County Parks and Recreation, which founded the team in 2007 to provide alternative afterschool activities for “at risk” youth.

This short doc focuses on the strong personalities, the importance of the program and the activities of a season in the life of The Aztecs.

For more information contact heathward@hotmail.com.

The Salvation Army has a youth basketball league called “HYPE,” and tryouts for 4th through 8th graders will begin Tuesday, March 9th at the Salvation Army Community Center, which is located at 9020 16th Ave SW in White Center.

This is a competitive basketball league, and is meant to provide kids with an athletic outlet to develop both teamwork and leadership in a competitive, healthy environment.

Here are details on the tryouts:

WHAT: Salvation Army HYPE Basketball League.

WHEN: Open tryouts will be:

4th, 5th, and 6th Grade:

• Tuesday March 9th – 5:30pm to 7:00pm
• Thursday March 11th – 5:30 to 7:00pm

7th and 8th Grade:

• Tuesday March 9th – 7:00pm to 8:30pm
• Thursday March 11th – 7:00pm to 8:30pm

WHERE: Tryouts will be held at the Salvation Army Community Center, which is located at 9020 16th Ave SW in White Center.

INFO: For more information, contact Sean or Charles (206) 767-3150 ext 113.

The Highline school board announced Thursday (July 16th) that it has voted to adopt a “Pay for Play” system, which will charge students a fee for participation in middle school and high school athletics.

While some school board members expressed concern that the fees will discourage students from participating in sports, Superintendent John Welch told the board staff that he is working with the Highline Schools Foundation for Excellence to establish a scholarship program.

“We will work hard to see that no student is turned away from playing a sport,” said Welch.

Welch said the fees are necessary to support the rising costs of athletic programs.

“In order to continue to offer both middle and high school sports, we must implement a pay-for-play fee structure,” said Welch. “If we don’t charge a fee, we will have to cut some sports.”

Welch noted that Highline’s athletic offerings now include middle school soccer in response to high demand and strong community support for adding that program.

The fee structure will be in place for the 2009-10 school year.

For high school sports, the fees will be:

• $50 per sport ($25 per sport for students who qualify for free or reduced lunch)
• Fees will be charged for up to two sports per student per year; there is no charge for a third season.
• Maximum $175 per family per year ($85 for families qualifying for free or reduced lunch)

Fees for middle school sports will be:

• $30 per sport ($15 for students who qualify for free or reduced lunch)

Fees will be chared for up to two sports per student per year; there is no charge for a third season. Maximum costs will be $105 per family per year ($50 for families qualifying for free or reduced lunch).

We here at The B-Town Blog would love to know what you think of this idea – please vote in our Poll and/or leave a Comment below…

Sorry, there are no polls available at the moment.

Grace Church is offering up a free “Kickin’ It Soccer Camp VBS” from Monday July 27th to Friday July 31st, from 5:30pm-8:00pm at their campus at 10323 28th Ave SW.

This Soccer Camp is intended for kids entering Kindergarten through 5th grade, and here’s a blurb from the church:

Come on over and bring your friends for soccer, food, crafts and all sorts of FREE fun!

We will start each night out with dinner from 5:30-6:00 then off the kids go for an action packed evening (parents are welcome to stay and watch, or they can go and have a relaxing child-free evening).

To register online, click here to download a PDF registration form, which you should then print, fill out and mail it in to:

Grace Church
10323 28th Ave SW
Seattle, WA 98146

If you have any questions call 206-937-8400.

by Bart Bryan

King County Police Activities League (PAL) at White Center’s Steve Cox Memorial Park is sending a boxing team to a tournament in Vacaville CA this weekend.

The team is coached by Tony Ragu, and Assistant Coach Lori Graham; Coach Ragu’s wife, Pam, will serve as chaperone on the trip.

The team includes:

• David Imoesiri (pictured at right)
  
• Rafik Iskandarian
• Duyly Lam
• Carolos Reyes
• Rod Diezel
• Charlie Nguye

David Imoesiri recently competed in the national Golden Gloves competition and beat the top ranked heavyweight in the nation.

Everyone here at The White Center Blog wishes David and the the team and the coaches best of luck in their upcoming competition!

This just in from the White Center Blog Inbox – the Southwest Boys & Girls Clubs (located at 9800 8th Ave SW in the Dub-C) are seeking basketball coaches for their Winter Youth Basketball League:

We are currently looking for youth basketball coaches for our Winter Youth Basketball League.

The League is made up of K-2nd grade division and 3rd-4th/5th-6th grade division.

• FUN & EXCITING volunteer opportunity
• Great experience for former players, college students, high school seniors who need to complete their community service projects or people who just love to work with children
• Teams start practicing December 1st, 2008 and games begin play the week of January 5th, 2009 until March 7th, 2009
• All appliants should attend NOVEMBER 19th, 2008 coaches meeting
• We offer a scholarship to parents who coach their children

If you are interested in coaching a youth basketball team, please reply to this email or call the number below (please leave a message if no answer).

You can also stop by the address below to apply in person.

Southwest Boys & Girls Club
9800 8th Ave. S.W. Sutie 105
Seattle, Wa 98106
Main 206-436-1910
Athletics 206-436-1916

Please feel free to call with any questions

Their website is here, and a Street View map is below:

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On Wednesday, Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels unveiled a $9 million program to target troubled young people in the city’s hardest-hit areas, including White Center.

In this area, the Southwest Youth and Family Services (located at 4555 Delridge Way SW, with a Latino Family Center at 12808 Ambaum Blvd SW) will work directly with targeted area youths who have either been consistently disciplined in school, frequently arrested or repeatedly held in juvenile detention.

According to officials, the goal is to slash youth violence by 50 percent within one year of the program’s kickoff in May 2009.

One of the more controversial parts of the proposed program will be employing likely former gang members with “street credentials” as on-street ambassadors to prevent retaliatory street attacks before they occur.

The full news release can be read here, and a PDF of the proposal can be downloaded here.

Another interesting video from Seattle Pacific University that focuses on White Center’s Union Gospel Mission branch, with a good commentary by Katie Russell around 3:04 in:

“SPU students and youth in White Center learn from exposure to diverse cultures and life experiences. Union Gospel Mission White Center Director Katie Russell and 2007-2008 SPU student team leader Corbin Sheffels explain.”

The Dub-C branch of the Union Gospel Mission is located at Mount View Presbyterian Church, which is at 10806 12th Ave SW:

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The Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (formerly the Frank B. Cooper School) is holding a benefit show ($25 suggested donation) for their All Access Program, called “Skiffle” on Thurs., Aug 21st, starting at 6pm with a show at 7pm.

The coolest part of this fundraiser is that some members from Pearl Jam, The Presidents of the United States of America, Guns N’ Roses, and the Dusty 45’s will participate (and, gulp…play?).

According to their website:

What’s a skiffle? Skiffle, an antiquated slang term for “rent party,” is derived from the fringe American art form comparable to jug band music. “Skiffle” music was developed during the early 1900s in New Orleans.

Here in Seattle in 2008, Skiffle means an opportunity for local artists to come together, jam out and present collaborative visual art and musical performances to raise money for Youngstown All-Access, our after school programming in partnership with Rock School, Arts Corps and the Service Board.

During the day, eight teams comprised of community members, local artists and bands will create a work of art out of a blank canvas including guitars and basses. These masterpieces will be auctioned off the same night and accompany performances from The Boogilistics, Camille Bloom & Recovery, Scribes, and very special guests Bison, featuring members from Pearl Jam, The Presidents of the United States of America, Guns N’ Roses, and the Dusty 45’s, as well as artists and students from Arts Corps, Rock School and the Service Board.

Presenting agency Blank Canvas seeks to inspire self-expression and impact communities through art and collaboration, producing “Artist Throwdown” events to bring communities together to create spontaneous and collaborative paintings all in one day, in one place, in the service of charity.

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