2009 Price Hill Midnight Basketball and More
Injury Free Coalition for Kids of Cincinnati
Date: Fri, Oct 9, 2009 to
Fri, Nov 13, 2009
Time: 9pm to Midnight
Location: The Price Hill Recreation Center
Organizer/Sponsor: Injury Free Coalition for Kids of Cincinnati
Price Hill Midnight Basketball and More Program was supported by funding obtained by IFCK-Cincinnati from the City of Cincinnati's Asset Forfeiture Grant for Community Preventative Education Programs. The goal of this program was to target 100-125 at-risk youth (males & females) between the ages of 12 and 16 years living in the 3 Price Hill communities and surrounding. The five focus areas to reach the short term goals of the program, established by IFCK and the partnering agencies, were to 1)provide support by non-parent adults 2) create an environment where youth feel safe in their community 3)supply participants with healthy activity and a structured educational environment focusing on violence, drug and alcohol prevention 4) help youth to develop conflict resolution skills and 5) increase the basketball skill and level of physical activity for youth in the community they reside. By achieveing these short term goals, long term results for participants in the areas of community-police relations, crime prevention, prevention of drug usage and/or activity, knowledge and resources to resolve conflict non-violently, development of life skills and resistance to negative peer pressure and dangerous situations could be obtained. Pre and post test were given to participants to measure knowledge of focus areas before and at the duration of the six weeks of programming.
Each evening, pizza was provided for all participants with funds donated from Santa Maria Community Services located in Price Hill and through a generous donation from Gatorade all participants received energy bars and drinks each night. Educational sessions included drug prevention education lead by a CCHMC resident,goal and vision setting session, role play sceneros focusing on conflict resolution and a question/answer session with local police officers that patrol the Price Hill community to build trust and improve community relationships and for 2 nights of the program members of the University of Cincinnati Bearcats Basketball team spoke to youth about their real life experience and the work ethic needed to play college basketball. The physical activity included each week of programming included exercise sessions lead by the Dance for Fitness Team at Northen Kentucky University which incorporated Hip Hop, African, Latin, Jazz, Modern dance into structured dance routines, strength and cardio sessions with kick boxing, double dutch, and an obstacle course provided by Faithfully Fit and full court basketball with program participants, members of a traveling streetball team and UC basketball players.
During the 6 weeks of programming, 124 unduplicated youth attended atleast one night with over 78% attending 3 or more nights. Over 80% of the participating youth lived more than 1 mile away from the recreation center and utilized transportation provided by the program. Those youth living within walking distance of the recreation center were given curfew passes and, in partnership with the Cincinnati Police Department(CPD), were allowed 15 minutes to get home until they were sited for curfew violation. CPD also increased patrol in the walking vicinity during the 15 minute grace period.
In 2010, IFCK is looking to expand funding to hold the 3rd year of the basketball and more program in additional neighborhoods.
Contact Information
Dawne Gardner-Davis
Program Coordinator
dawne.gardner-davis@cchmc.org
(513)636-3153