Youths give their view on drugs, drink, gangs

By ROGER W. HOSKINS
rhoskins@modbee.com

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Eleven-year-old Bridgette Macias of Ceres stood before a handful of adults and pleaded her case against alcohol. Nervous chuckles and sideways glances followed her solution to America's leading substance abuse problem.

She would limit alcohol sales to two vendors worldwide, one in New York and one in Japan. She also wants a six-pack of beer to cost $100 because it's ridiculous "that fruit drinks cost more than alcohol."

Welcome to Stanislaus County's Youth Action Commission and its first Leadership Training Conference, held Saturday at Modesto Junior College's west campus. The youngsters, ages 11 to 18, tackled the issues they considered the biggest concerns for their peers and communities: gangs, health and immigration.

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Two weeks ago, the 51 commissioners who would be at the conference evaluated and put the final flourishes on material for the event, which included videos, skits and PowerPoint presentations.

Make no mistake, this conference was by, about and for youths.

Many presenters shared personal experiences of losing friends to gangs, drugs and alcohol.

Monica Chipres, 17, of Ceres moderated one presentation on gangs. She told a group of 25 parents and youths about a friend from Downey High School who was slain.

"He wanted to get out," he said. "He wanted to do something with his life, but because of who he was associating with, he was killed."

She said she went to his rosary and saw many of his gang friends there, too. She said, "The day he was shot, they were not there to help him, to take him to the hospital, to see if he could be saved."

With the rest of her group, she admonished parents to have zero tolerance for gang styles of dress, music or conversation.

One woman, Linda Lopez of Merced, thanked the commission for the gang presentation. She said it reminded her of sending her children off to school, wondering if they would come back alive.

Modesto High School's Jeremy Reddic, 17, talked about his fear when Asians and blacks squared off in fights that lasted through two lunch breaks.

'Fill your life with good'

As well as offering information, the conference commanded action. Attendees were asked to join an initiative against gang violence. And before eating lunch, people had to fill out an evaluation of the conference.

Modesto Police Chief Roy Wasden applauded the youths for looking for solutions to the same problems with which civic leaders struggle.

He also celebrated their character. "Look at these kids. They are around the same problems -- gangs and drugs -- yet they choose to do good."

In one presentation, Wasden and other adults were asked how best to get kids out of gangs. Wasden said the solution begins with the individual. If a gang member wants out, he said "change your clothes, change your friends and change your attitude."

He said young people should get involved with their faith-based community and boys should try to become Eagle Scouts.

"Fill your life with good," said Wasden.

Mayo Banderas, 17, of Downey High School said commissioners received as much as they were giving.

"This teaches us a lot," she said. "It teaches how to present things. We learn teamwork and (how to) compromise. It makes you feel like an adult and like you're useful to others."

Patricia Segoviano de Pier is executive director and founder of the Youth Action Commission. She brought her approach from Los Angeles, where she worked in gang intervention for that city's Department of Parks and Recreation. She said she has refined her approach for the valley, and that it is all about trusting in youths and their decision making.

She said gang members are diverted if you surround them with good, and that it happened in Los Angeles. "They get instant respect for something good," by participating in youth conferences.

Pier said once you enlist young people in community service, it creates a whole new culture. "There are no more mission impossibles."

Bridgette, 11, agreed. She is keeping her sights trained on stopping alcohol.

"It's America's worst drug problem. I want it all to stop," she insisted after her session. "I'm not going to quit until I make a difference."

Staff writer Roger W. Hoskins can be reached at rhoskins@modbee.com or 578-2311.