Until recently, that unpleasant scene faced residents too often in this west-side community when they visited the library-turned-junior-high-school hangout, complete with cops, cussing and fisticuffs.
But thanks to a dedicated group of volunteers and $60,000 in Salt Lake County seed money, teenagers tempted by trouble now have a healthy outlet for self-expression.
Since last fall, an after-school program at nearby Kearns Junior High has drawn legions of kids away from the library to learn everything from graffiti art and break dancing to poetry slams.
"Junior high is a huge identity crisis as it is, but we definitely get a lot of kids who are teetering on the line of gang life," explained Nicholina Womack, a 23-year-old Rose Park native who runs the after-school show. "The program is to show them there are other outlets, other resources that don't lead to violence or jail. You're trying to teach kids how to be empowered."
Instructors as diverse as the students they befriend call the first-year experiment a success.
"It gives them a voice when they don't have one," said Liz Coleman, a volunteer DJ at KRCL, who teaches teenshow to incorporate music and express themselves through poetry slams at the daily program.
Since school officials donated the space last year, some 50 youths attend the after-school program, which runs Monday through Thursday from 3 to 5:30 p.m. and longer on Friday. They typically get a snack, wrap up some homework then split off to hit the foosball table, tackle tango or sashay to salsa with individual dance instructors.
"The kids say they actually like the program because they are treated like adults," said Kelly Colopy, Salt Lake County's deputy director of human services.
Statistics show Kearns Junior High has seen an uptick in gang activity, while 50 percent of youths who attend the school drop out before earning a diploma.
Colopy notes the after-school haven has signaled a relief for parents too busy to shepherd their children through the hazards of adolescence. And it has reduced to zero the number of names that used to be logged on the library's "banned" list.
"People have said, 'Thanks for getting our library back,' " Colopy said.
After seven months, the free, volunteer program - it is subsidized by county money - has been hailed as a success. Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon highlighted the changes in Kearns during his State of the County speech.
A recent study found 88 percent of the students in the program had better grades, 50 percent had better citizenship marks, and 76 percent had fewer disciplinary reports, according to Colopy.
It has worked so well that stakeholders in Kearns hope to duplicate the program at Kennedy Junior High in West Valley City.
"I get a great reaction," explained Bobby Kuhn, a flight instructor who splits time between New York and Utah, but spends multiple days each week teaching break dancing in Kearns. "I have about 15 kids who constantly come. It keeps them all out of trouble, and it gives them a workout at the same time."
And since the program is new, Womack notes, it still can be molded to entice youths who normally are not interested.
"It definitely feels too good to be true," she said. "I feel blessed to be a part of it."
In June, the dozens of Kearns kids have been invited to show off their new skills - at Capitol Theatre.
The theme for the performance: teens making a difference.
djensen@sltrib.com
