2008 Woodie Awards
SGA teams up with Defend Youngstown to promote Wick Park project
Ashley Tate, Reporter
Issue date: 4/24/08 Section: News
Student Government Association and Defend Youngstown, a movement dedicated to the city's advancement, have partnered up for the Wick Park project.
Phil Kidd, founder of Defend Youngstown, said this revitalization is a great opportunity for young people such as Youngstown State University students to become involved.
Since YSU is a big commuter school, Kidd said many students come to class and go home and don't know much about the city. This would be a good time to learn about it.
"A lot of students that attend YSU are from the suburbs and don't have a clue what the city is about. It's not their fault. It's the city's fault for not educating them," Kidd said.
Kidd said it's inexcusable for students to live on campus and be unfamiliar with downtown. We have to teach them.
Kidd, 28, said the city is full of young leadership such as Mayor Jay Williams and Congressman Tim Ryan.
Young people are fresh and innovative, Kidd said.
"Students have to take ownership of this city, own it, get involved," he said
With the Wick Park revitalization in the works, SGA CLASS representative Alison Kukla said student government got involved to show that it supports the community and that the university supports the project.
"It's a way to get the university's name out there as well," Kukla said.
Kukla said one of her strategies to get students involved is through her communications class speech.
"Next week I'm giving my persuasive speech on how you should get involved in the community. For however long you'll be living here to go to school you should take pride, want to build [the city] back up," Kukla said. "Youngstown came a long way the last few years."
More than 80 people participated in the first community meeting for Wick Park, including SGA members, Kidd said.
Kukla said the members were excited about the turnout and were impressed and wanted to hear everyone's ideas.
"If everyone tells a friend, it can really help out a lot," she said.
Kidd said he is extremely passionate about the city and it once was the American dream because immigrants came here to start there lives. We can be an example to the United States.
Kidd said he receives numerous e-mails from people across the country interested in the city and the last two years' change has been significant.
"We're always looking for new leaders coming from YSU to come help out. One percent of 13,000 is great," he said of students.
"Where's the next Phil Kidd at? He's at YSU."
Kukla said in the future there will be more projects to get involved in and she and Kidd are good friends so she is looking forward to getting things going.
Phil Kidd, founder of Defend Youngstown, said this revitalization is a great opportunity for young people such as Youngstown State University students to become involved.
Since YSU is a big commuter school, Kidd said many students come to class and go home and don't know much about the city. This would be a good time to learn about it.
"A lot of students that attend YSU are from the suburbs and don't have a clue what the city is about. It's not their fault. It's the city's fault for not educating them," Kidd said.
Kidd said it's inexcusable for students to live on campus and be unfamiliar with downtown. We have to teach them.
Kidd, 28, said the city is full of young leadership such as Mayor Jay Williams and Congressman Tim Ryan.
Young people are fresh and innovative, Kidd said.
"Students have to take ownership of this city, own it, get involved," he said
With the Wick Park revitalization in the works, SGA CLASS representative Alison Kukla said student government got involved to show that it supports the community and that the university supports the project.
"It's a way to get the university's name out there as well," Kukla said.
Kukla said one of her strategies to get students involved is through her communications class speech.
"Next week I'm giving my persuasive speech on how you should get involved in the community. For however long you'll be living here to go to school you should take pride, want to build [the city] back up," Kukla said. "Youngstown came a long way the last few years."
More than 80 people participated in the first community meeting for Wick Park, including SGA members, Kidd said.
Kukla said the members were excited about the turnout and were impressed and wanted to hear everyone's ideas.
"If everyone tells a friend, it can really help out a lot," she said.
Kidd said he is extremely passionate about the city and it once was the American dream because immigrants came here to start there lives. We can be an example to the United States.
Kidd said he receives numerous e-mails from people across the country interested in the city and the last two years' change has been significant.
"We're always looking for new leaders coming from YSU to come help out. One percent of 13,000 is great," he said of students.
"Where's the next Phil Kidd at? He's at YSU."
Kukla said in the future there will be more projects to get involved in and she and Kidd are good friends so she is looking forward to getting things going.
Be the first to comment on this story