BackYouth Speak Out On Violence
by PARADISE BURROUGHS
My name is Paradise Burroughs. I am a senior at the Baltimore City High School for the Arts. I was selected for the school’s dance program four years ago. My interest in dance started at Christ United Methodist Church in Baltimore. I was given an opportunity, through United Methodist Women, to participate in their Campaign for Children project in 1987. At that point I had no interest in dance.
The United Methodist Women adopted my school, Elmer Henderson Elementary School on the east side of Baltimore. The project involved a mentor program, cultural excursions, dance lessons, camping scholarships, reading-partner program, after-school classes and counseling/encouragement from the women of the unit and the Rev. Bernard Keels.
Christine Keels, now a vice president of the Women’s Division, was the coordinator, and Vista Adams, now District United Methodist Women president, was the local president. The women paid for us to have dance classes with a teacher from the school of the arts, and they drove us to the classes at Dunbar High School.
Every Monday and Wednesday, we anxiously waited for the "church ladies" to pick us up. My first performance was at a United Methodist Women’s Advent service.
At that point I had no interest in continuing to dance. The neighborhood where I was raised was full of drugs, alcohol and violence. I had relatives and friends who fell into the drug scene.
I attended a middle school where if you weren’t cool, down or a part of the crowd you were picked on or beat up. But I managed to not get caught up in this violence.
A group of friends and I began going to an after-school program for dance entitled, "To Work in Gaining Skills." I began to realize how much I liked to dance, but when my friends decided to quit, I wanted to do so, too. My parents knew my reason was peer pressure so they insisted I continue.
I then auditioned for the arts school where there is rarely any violence.
The church has definitely kept me from violent activities. My grandmother is the leader of the "Word of Life" program at my church -- a self-esteem and empowerment program. She kept me and other teens at Faith Baptist Church in Baltimore involved with things God would have us do. I am thankful to my pastor, the Rev. Willie J. Williams, for his spiritual guidance and to my parents for loving me.
I owe so much to so many people for helping me stay focused on what I want to do with my life. But most of all, God’s existence in my life has made decisions about drugs, alcohol, crime and sex easy. As I have gotten older, my faith in the Lord has gotten stronger.
This being my last year in high school, the reality of making decisions about my life has been scary. I thought senior year would be the best year of high school, but I have learned each year things get harder, not easier. Nevertheless, God keeps blessing me.
I was selected Maryland State Distinquished Scholar and awarded a $12,000 scholarship for college. I was selected to participate in the North Carolina School of the Arts summer program. I have danced with the Eva Anderson Dance Theatre -- a Baltimore dance company.
I would like others to learn from my opportunities and experience, so I offer the following advise to teens:
1. Find something you are good at and stick to it.
2. Set goals and apply them.
3. Surround yourself with people who have the same interest.
4. Get involved with a church youth program.
5. Don’t be afraid to fail and try again.
Ms. Keels and I have talked about having a Campaign for Children reunion of students who participated in the Christ United Methodist Women’s project. Today’s youth need the church to be there for us as mentors, chaperones, activity coordinators and nurturers.
Paradise Burroughs is a high-school senior from Baltimore, Md.
Response magazine