Brockton's Youth Meet To Solve City Problems

BrocktonPost
BROCKTON--Hundreds of Brockton's young people gathered at Massasoit Community College for the annual Mayor's Youth Summit to brainstorm ideas about how to solve some of the problems in Brockton--a summit that featured Gov. Deval Patrick.
"I hope you have a very, very, very successful day," Patrick told the nearly 150 students, school and community organizers during an introductory rally that included Patrick, Massasoit President Charles Wall, Mayor Linda Balzotti and performances by ImprovBoston and a play/monologue about the struggles of a 15-year-old girl trying to get out of gang life.
Patrick encouraged the students who ranged in age between 13 and 24 to have a great time during the summit and also urged students to stay involved much in the way students embraced their fellow students several years ago when Boxer Buddies was developed to bring students with disabilities together with students who do not.
"More to the point, I am counting on you to bring your voice and your service not just today, but everyday," Patrick said.
The rally included improvisational skits when students were called from the audience to join ImprovBoston for hilarious stage show that boosted participants spirits for the breakout sessions when students would identify problems in the city and try to come up with solutions for those problems.
One of those students who took part was Vanessa Clerveaux, a junior whose brother Alex is a member of the Mayor's Youth Council--a student group that meets year-round to advise the mayor on youth issues, problems and solutions.
She said the topic of violence in the city was on-the-plate when she was part of the summit four years ago when she was in 7th grade.
"I came to support non-violence," Clerveaux said.
Fellow junior Jeff Gomes said he was interested in learning about what ways the city and police have been dealing with violence because in his opinion and many of the other students, much of the violence in the streets is a result of gangs and drug dealers coming in from out Brockton.
"It's outside figures--outside forces," Gomes said. "They come to Brockton and cause problems," he said.