Salt Lake Mayor Rocky Anderson and YouthCity director Janet Wolf are celebrating right about now.
Thursday, Wolf and Anderson received word that Congress had earmarked $1.2 million for Salt Lake City's after-school activities for youth ages 11 to 17 — by far the largest piece of funding the nearly 2-year-old YouthCity program has received.
"We're talking about thousands more kids" being able to take part in after-school sports, art and technology activities, Wolf said. "We intend now to really spread the programming we have already started, to other parts of the city" and add activities for youths up to age 17.
After-school activities for middle-school-age students are going on now at the Central City Community Center and at the Sorenson Multi-Cultural Center, and the federal money will fund their expansion to centers at Jordan, Fairmont and Liberty parks. Wolf also plans to start a youth employment program early next year along with the University of Utah College Bound initiative, which will provide mentors and scholarships to teenagers who otherwise wouldn't have considered the U. an option.
"We have a young man who's graduating from the eighth grade this year," said Wolf, "and we would love to keep him around" perhaps as an employee who works with the younger children at the Central City Community Center. The federal funding makes that possible; before now he would have been too old to continue.
The mayor praised Rep. Jim Matheson, the Utah Democrat who pushed for passage of the $1.2 million designation. "I think there's a real sense nationally that these youth programs are vitally important, and that taking a proactive approach is far less expensive than dealing with crime and the other problems that come up when kids don't have constructive things to do after school," Anderson said.
The mayor has been taking a beating from — and for that matter, also dishing it out to — regional and state lawmakers, over Legacy Highway construction vs. funding for commuter rail. He and his city are an unpopular island right now — in Utah. Washington, D.C., has by contrast smiled on Salt Lake City, allocating funding for light-rail construction and now YouthCity expansion.
"We've met with several people in Congress, not only from our own congressional delegation, but also (Washington Democratic) Sen. Patty Murray," Anderson said, "and Sens. (Bob) Bennett and (Orrin) Hatch (both Utah Republicans) have been very supportive."
Wolf said that much more fund raising needs to be done to make YouthCity activities accessible to all Salt Lake young people. But "this is a wonderful beginning."
When Anderson hired her in February 2000 to build YouthCity, her budget was a little under $40,000. Since then, Salt Lake County, several private foundations and companies and the Salt Lake City Council have channeled more money into the youth programs, and Wolf will continue to seek support from the local business community.
The check from the federal government is still a few months away. "Everything points to springtime," Wolf said. "That's when the funding starts."
For now, both YouthCity after-school centers have openings. For information call 538-2062 (Central City Community Center) or 974-2420 (Sorenson Multi-Cultural Center).
E-MAIL: durbani@desnews.com