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Local Voices

Iowa City Police Department hits homerun with Children of Promise youth

Children of Promise is joining forces with the Iowa City Police Department to mentor at-risk kids during the program’s Youth Leadership summer enrichment series. Beginning June 10, Children of Promise will gather at Trinity Episcopal Church in Iowa City to work with area youth on team-building, social, and leadership skills. Police officers will join staff and volunteers on Wednesday afternoons as part of Badges for Baseball, a program of the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation designed as a juvenile crime prevention initiative. Using the Foundation’s “Healthy Choices, Healthy Children” curriculum, Badges for Baseball pairs law enforcement with underserved kids, giving both a chance to learn from the other using baseball as a bridge. “When at-risk youth encounter police officials, it’s often in situations that are very scary for them. We’re happy to be able to work with the kids in this safe environment through Badges for Baseball, helping them see that we’re all on the same team in many more ways than one,” remarks Jorey Bailey, crime prevention officer at the Iowa City Police Department. “Our partnership with the Iowa City Police Department will give the kids we serve an opportunity to see officers in an encouraging light, working with them in an atmosphere of fun to gain new perspectives on their community,” states Carrie Ann Good, program coordinator for Children of Promise, Iowa City location. “Our hope is that the lessons learned this summer will have a lasting, positive impact on everyone’s future.” Children of Promise, operated by the Community Corrections Improvement Association (CCIA), hosts a six-week summer enrichment series for at-risk youth via the Youth Leadership Program in both Iowa City and Cedar Rapids. For more information about Youth Leadership, visit the Children of Promise website at IowaChildrenOfPromise.org.

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