LV teens take part in Safe Night

Monday, May 31, 1999 | 10:11 a.m.

Safe nights

Safe nights will be held at the following locations:

More than 800 local preteens are expected to fill up six valley community centers June 5 to participate in Safe Night USA, a nationwide program aimed at preventing youth violence and substance abuse.

The Las Vegas event is one of nearly 1,000 safe nights planned in every state including Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. More than youth ages 11 to 17 are expected to participate.

The events are aimed toward middle school children but high school students are welcome, Charlie McGraw, spokesman for the City of Las Vegas Department of Leisure Services, said.

The events include interactive workshops from 6 to 8 p.m., where Metro officials and representatives from the Neighborhood Justice Center work with the youth on issues such as conflict resolution and peer pressure. A dance will be held from 8 to 11 p.m.

"We're encouraging the families to get involved," McGraw said. "Parents are encouraged to attend the workshop portion."

Safe Night was first formed in 1994 by former Milwaukee police officer and youth at-risk educator Olusegun Sijuwade as a safe place for youths to have fun and be removed from alcohol, drugs and violence.

Planned for the end of the school year when kids are at the greatest risk, the original event was supposed to be a one-time deal, Maria Alvarez, project director for Safe Night USA with PBS in Wisconsin, said.

But because of youth demand, the program continued.

"It was thought about by an adult, but encouraged to stay alive by the youth," Alvarez said.

PBS Wisconsin became involved in the program in 1996 while the station was doing a series on solutions to ending violence in Milwaukee, Alvarez said.

To unite the various Safe Night events, Public Broadcasting System of Wisconsin will televise the program nationwide from Milwaukee, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles. This is the first national airing.

This is Las Vegas' first Safe Night and it is sponsored by a partnership of the city, county and KLVX Channel 10. Las Vegas residents can watch the show 6 p.m. on Channel 10. The show can also be seen on Black Entertainment Television (Cox Cable Channel 27).

In addition to a celebrity lineup including Wayne Brady of ABC's "Who's Line Is It Anyway?" and Doug E. Doug of CBS' "Cosby," PBS cameras will drop in at selected Safe Nights across the country.

One of those sites includes Paducah, Ky., where the community is using Safe Night as a healing effort to try to get past the school shooting there one year ago, Alvarez said. A student opened fire during an informal prayer in a high school lobby. Eight students were shot, three fatally.

In the wake of the Littleton, Colo., shooting and recent bomb threats, many more teens have been expressing interest in Safe Night, Alvarez added.

At the events teens are able to find relief from peer pressure to be drinking or doing drugs, Alvarez said. In Milwaukee gang members even put down colors to go into Safe Night, she said.

"It's proving you can have fun without getting in trouble," she said.

Alvarez said, the key to successful youth nights is that teens are involved in the planning.

"If adults are planning it, chances are it's not going to be pretty hip," she said. "Some people are planning unbelievable huge events."

Another factor in its success is following up with events youths can count on rather than just a one-night stand.

McGraw said Las Vegas plans to continue with Safe Night.

"We don't want to make this a one-night deal," McGraw said. "This is a kick-off party for the whole summer. Other programs need to grow from this one."