CINCINNATI (WKRC) – Nearly 50 children from neighborhoods across Cincinnati are preparing to travel to New York City on a trip organizers say is designed to broaden horizons and foster connections among young people.
Mitch Morris, with Save Our Youth Kings and Queens, said the experience goes beyond sightseeing.
Nearly 50 children from neighborhoods across Cincinnati are preparing to travel to New York City on a trip organizers say is designed to broaden horizons and foster connections among young people. (WKRC)
“Me myself, I might never have a chance to go to China, might not have a chance to go to Australia. My happiness right now is being able to watch these kids now. These kids in here might have the opportunity to do that,” Morris said.
Morris said the group focuses on helping young people make better choices and resolve conflicts without violence.
“You don’t have to get mad, go grab a gun because somebody had disrespected you. So when they say something about you on Facebook, you’re going to need you how to talk that person off the edge,” Morris said.
Organizers said the children, including those from Winton Terrace, Avondale and the West End, gathered this week at the group’s headquarters in Winton Hills to prepare for the trip.
“It’s so much bigger than just the area right here. So much bigger than the West End. So much bigger than Avondale,” Morris said.
He said a key goal is to connect children from different neighborhoods.
“We got to try to bring all these kids together, break those territorial walls, let them see you are no different than me. Twelve hours on that bus, we’re giving them a chance to grow and know each other,” he said.
The trip is the latest in a series organized by the group, following previous outings to Alabama and Washington, D.C. The group plans to depart early Wednesday, with stops including a New York Yankees game, the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, the Statue of Liberty and Times Square.
“We’re going to go to the Memorial, 9/11 Memorial. We’re going to go to Statue of Liberty. We’re going to go to Times Square twice. We’re going to go to Times Square in the daytime, we’re going to go back at nighttime just to ride through, let them see that,” Morris said.
Organizers said the trip is free for participants. Parent chaperone Quinnetta Simpson said the experience can help children see new possibilities.
“It teaches our kids that it’s other ways out there,” Simpson said.
Ariel Bolden also has children participating. One of them, Jaryah Green, said the group has been learning about some of the destinations.
“The Statue of Liberty. We got like excitement about it and we learning about it right now,” Green said.