Cambridge Among Best For Youth

Harvard students may have known it all along, but now the rest of the nation is finally taking notice: Cambridge is a great place for youths.

Cambridge was honored last month as one of the 100 best Communities for Young People by America’s Promise, an alliance founded by former secretary of state Colin L. Powell to help children succeed.

Cambridge was chosen from over 1,000 communities around the country, according to Mike McGill, managing editor for America’s Promise.

America’s Promise recognized Cambridge’s efforts in five areas: involvement of supportive adults, safe places for growth, a healthy start for adulthood, an effective education, and opportunities to help others.

“We’re thrilled that the city has been recognized for the work that we do and for the really intense collaboration among city agencies and between the city and community agencies,” said Assistant City Manager for Human Services Ellen Semonoff.

The winners were chosen by a selection panel comprised of national leaders from a variety of fields, including United Way of America President Brian Gallagher and baseball legend Cal Ripken, Jr. Communities submitted applications outlining their commitment to kids and young adults.

This was the competition’s first year, and McGill said America’s Promise hopes that other communities will rethink their own youth-based programs.

“We want to hold [the winners] up as good solid work that is being done around the country,” he said.

Cambridge highlighted its youth commitment through programs like The Out of School Time Initiative, which promotes community-based projects for kids, and the Neighborhood Service Project, which brings youth together to address neighborhood problems.

Semonoff said that these programs focus on helping youths outside of the academic sphere.

“In every community, we are very focused on the academic performance of our city and youth,” she said. “I think that as a community we can all support that by ensuring that their non-academic needs are also being met.”

Cambridge has led the “Let’s Talk Campaign,” which focuses on communication between children and parents, even for families in which English is not the first language.

“Literacy is a family issue, not just a kid issue,” said Cambridge Mayor Michael A. Sullivan.

Although Cambridge was specifically honored for its collaborative programs that address youths’ needs, many people in Cambridge appreciate the city for its other resources.

Harvard students, ranging from small town residents to bustling city big shots, say Cambridge is a unique city.

“It’s really convenient to have outside the walls of Harvard a whole city of stores at your exposure,” said Rafael F. Garcia ’09, who is from suburban Chicago.

These stores range from an array of ethnic restaurants to owner-operated businesses. Late at night, Harvard students and Cambridge residents alike can be found at Felipe’s Taqueria, a fast-food Mexican restaurant that contributes to Cambridge’s unique character.

Cambridge is “a very rich cultural place. Cambridge has every type of food that you can imagine, every ethnic group,” said Tom Brush, one of the owners of Felipe’s.

Peter N. Ganong ’09, a Brookline, Mass. resident who spent the past two summers teaching Cambridge middle school students, said he does not think students have enough exposure to Cambridge.

“College students don’t get out into the community enough,” he said. “They need to go and see the community.”