YOUTH CENTER
The Wm. “Bill” Austen Youth Center, located at 315
SW 2nd Avenue, opened in September 2003. The Center is operated
by the Parks & Recreation Department in partnership with the
Police Department. Membership at the Center currently exceeds 1,000
kids ages 8 to 18.
Nightly programs at the Center include boxing, martial arts, wrestling
and scuba. The facility has outdoor lighting and a racquetball
court, soccer and football area, picnic benches and grills located
throughout the grounds. The drop-in area offers a great sanctuary
for teens wanting to hang out with friends, play video games, shoot
pool or play the table games. Two rooms are available for homework,
arts & crafts and computers. Special programs are held such
as “Skincare and Makeup Tips for Teens,” babysitting
courses and dance classes. Vending machines and arcade games are
available. For more information about activities and membership,
contact the Youth Center at 242-3950.
Here are the hours of operation at the Center:
Monday-Thursday
2:00 PM – 9:00 PM Friday
2:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Saturday
12:00 Noon – 10:00 PM
Sunday
12:00 Noon – 7:00 PM
Activities at the Youth Center include teen dances, billiards,
air hockey, video games, racquetball, basketball, computers, and
more.
The Police Department sponsors the following activities at the
Youth Center:
Boxing -- Instructed by Cape Coral Police Officer Mike Anderson,
a former Golden Gloves champion, boxing meets Monday, Tuesday, Thursday,
and Friday evenings from 6:00 – 8:00. Students learn all aspects
of the sport from basic fitness to footwork, sparring, and finally,
competition.
Martial Arts -- Instructed by Jack Lee Harrah, a black belt in
karate and tae kwon do, martial arts meets on Wednesday evenings
from 7:00 – 9:00. Students learn self-defense and discipline,
focusing on both physical and mental skills.
Wrestling -- A team of four experienced expert wrestling coaches
teaches this activity on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday
evenings from 5:00 – 7:00. Participants are taught the principles
and techniques of this challenging sport.
SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS
A School Resource officer is assigned to each Cape Coral high
school, middle school and elementary school. School Resource Officers
perform a variety of duties:
•
They interact daily with students.
•
They teach the D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) and G.R.E.A.T.
(Gang Resistance Education and Training) programs to students.
•
They spend time with students during recesses and lunch times.
•
They participate in school assemblies and other official functions.
•
They attend school athletic events.
•
They maintain a relationship with school principals and administrative
personnel.
•
They conduct presentations to the students on a variety of topics,
including understanding laws, the role of the police officer in
the criminal justice system, and the police mission.
•
They serve as a community services referral source for students,
parents and faculty.
JUVENILE SYSTEMS LIAISON
The Police Department’s Juvenile Systems Liaison Specialist
provides support for Cape Coral’s youth who become involved
with the criminal justice system:
•
Provides help in an attempt to redirect negative behavior.
•
Directs youngsters and their parents to appropriate juvenile community
services.
•
Acts as community service coordinator for court-ordered juvenile
sanctions.
•
Monitors compliance with court-ordered sanctions.
•
Tracks juvenile runaways.
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