First Mesa Youth Center making a positive impact on youth

POLACCA, Ariz.

Submitted
The First Mesa Youth Center.

Sanchez said FMYC offers educational and recreational programs in a safe environment while giving those 6-18 years old a chance to network with their peers.

“We’ve seen a big change in the youth,” she said. “It was a challenge at the beginning for them to understand who we are and our intentions, but it’s all about building that bond between the staff and the students.”

Sanchez said the FMYC staff continues to educate the students about drugs and alcohol. She said that since the center has been opened that they have not caught any students with drugs or alcohol.

“We are working with the law enforcement agencies to assist us,” she said.

FMYC does not own the nearby basketball courts, but First Mesa Consolidated Villages gave them permission to use the courts and clean them up.

“The youth have reported that people drinking down there and that they have seen beer in the trash cans,” she said.

Sanchez said the Hopi community needs to be vigilant and keep watch, so that no one drinks in this area.

“This building was vandalized a lot when it was vacant, but thankfully it has not been vandalized since we’ve been in it,” she said. “The community respects what’s here for the youth.”

FMYC opened a year ago July.

The program has been continually growing as the after-school and summer program offers service learning, health and fitness, culture and tradition, community engagement, and youth leadership programs.

“We’ve had a great turnout with eight to 13 kids coming in every day,” she said about the after-school program.