June 2, 1999

A safe summer for kids may be elusive in today's society of crime, drugs and gangs.

But Americorps volunteers are teaching Boys and Girls club members in Salt Lake some skills to have a safe summer.

Ruth Todd explains in today's Family Now report.

Thirteen young Americorps volunteers are becoming temporary role models at the Salt Lake Boys and Girls Clubs this June.

But instead of lecturing to kids in a classroom about saying no to drugs, doing homework, avoiding gangs and living a healthy lifestyle, they teach using fun and games.

A group of high schoolers is learning how to take leadership roles to solve a problem - untying a human knot.

Americorps volunteer, Scott Ruddy, says, "Many times, people in other situations who'd be considered a follower or a kid who doesn't have much self esteem, realizes they could be a leader."

Brittany Beckman, a member of the Boys and Girls Club says, "It takes a lot of energy to get 12 people to listen to you. It takes teamwork."

In a variation of the game Red Light Green Light - elementary school kids learn the consequences of their actions.

Junior high school kids learn teamwork as they work their way through a giant web.

Americorps volunteer Chantal Hardy explains, "They have to try to work together, try to get through some of these spots without touching the web."

Some 7- and 8-year-olds learn how to get along by deciding what they have in common and then drawing it on paper.

Jackson Belshe, another Americorps volunteer, says, "We've focused in the last couple of days on things that, you know, made them individually special and today we're trying to draw them in together by showing the common things that they share, whether it be taste in music, in clothes, or sports or whether they want to be the same thing when they grow up."

The Americorps volunteer say the games work because the kids, after sitting in school all day, may not even realize they're learning.

For more information on the Americorps National Civilian Community Corps or the Boys and Girls Clubs, call our Family Now information line at 1-800-575-5751.