PUEBLO — The Colorado Department of Education awarded $2.38 million over five years to the Boys & Girls Club of Pueblo County.
That funded three expansion sites for after-school programming focused on math support and a new Clubhouse in Pueblo West.
The Club serves 2,200 kids every year, said its chief of operations, Becky Medina. Now with a total of 12 sites, the goal is to reach more than 2,500 kids by 2026.
Medina said funding is also adding jobs and internships for teens like for Alesia Gonzales.
"It's kind of like a second home for me," said Gonzales, who has been involved in the Club since she was six years old. "It helped me a lot with my school and like not getting into like drama or like trouble."
Pueblo County School District 70 and Pueblo School District 60 students have school four days a week.
"We know that we have working families and we want young people to be engaged on that fifth day," said Medina.
The Boys & Girls Club of Pueblo County offers free mental health support, fitness activities, drug, alcohol and violence prevention programs.
"One thing that we really emphasize and will be building on and expanding is our conflict mediation opportunities," said Medina.
Community resources like this one paired with law enforcement programs have been shown to reduce youth crime.
Compared to 2023, there have been fewer juveniles 10 to 17 years old committing violent crimes so far in 2024, according to Pueblo Police.
That's a decrease of suspects in assaults, robberies and homicides. There has been a 22% increase in weapon violations.
Pueblo Police are in the process of making a program to combat youth crime.
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