They go to school in a Wilmington high-rise. Soon, these kids hope to see a ‘safe haven’
Isaiah Langston just wants a gym.
The 16-year-old slumped in an office chair, spinning slightly to scan the lab-style classroom around him. Fellow students surrounded the table, some from Kuumba Academy, others Great Oaks Charter School.
“I'm looking forward to the center having open gyms,” the junior said, his voice joining the room filled with educators and student advocates. “Available for weekends, even weekdays, just open gyms where we can come and play ball, get together, just somewhere safe. A little safe haven.”
About a dozen heads nodded.
Students like Isaiah have been coming to school in the Community Education Building — over 10 stories packed with four schools, seven nonprofits, some 1,500 students and family services — for roughly a decade as of this year.
Today, the towering education hub planted in the heart of Wilmington wants to grow. Leaders aim to build a Youth Development Center just a block over, bringing athletic facilities, spaces for workforce development programs, an early learning center and more near the 1200 block of Wilson Street. And they're about $4 million in fundraising away from the $18 million needed to break ground.
Linda Jennings said her building runs at about 95% capacity these days.
Where there aren’t mission-shared nonprofits like Network Connect, Code Differently or Teach for America, there are full classrooms, shared dining spaces, a library, wrap-around service centers and more tucked inside. There’s no true gymnasium in the former banking building. There’s no real performance space. Security is tight, space is tight, and inviting in enrichment programs isn’t easy.
Her team wants to grow from its tiered education terrarium — turning the neighboring brownfield parking lot into a 40,000-square-foot student center.
“For the students to feel like they're important enough to have a gymnasium,” the CEO said simply. “Every school has a gymnasium. We’re in our 10th year. They haven't.”
Most of her students live in Delaware’s largest city. Wilmington, as she sees it, lacks spaces to engage in athletics or other kinds of safe, active afterschool activities.
“So we said: 'We're going to do it.'”
'Kids need to be seen'
Tori Battle stays busy.
The Kuumba eighth grader is a cheer captain, loves to sing and is already thinking ahead to crafting an impressive college resume. Dance rooms offer space for her cheer practice close to class, but she’s excited to see more.
“Not only would it be a fun place to go chill out, socialize — it should be a place where you could do stuff,” she said, glancing to another student beside her at the table. “Like oh, I'll go here, and I can do everything at once. It's a basketball court, then you can do your work there, too.”
Amali Holloway returned her gaze with a smile. The fellow 13-year-old added that the center would offer much more than extra space.
“A lot of kids need to be seen,” she said, thinking of budding artists, engineers, rappers, athletes filling the floors below her.
“Some kids feel like they want to give up sometimes because they're very unseen; they're unheard; they're going through a lot. So, if this community center could bring kids together and have them do sports and stuff like that. It's just — it's nice.”
That’s the idea.
Community Education Building leaders plan to see the gym and fitness facilities, alongside the early learning center, take up the most space. The independent early childhood center would serve 80 to 100 youngsters, from infants to PreK.
A black-box performance space, for small performances, plays or practice, also joins the plans. From there, multiple flexible learning spaces fill the blueprint, fit to offer square footage to afterschool providers, events or new workforce development programming.
“It’s that next important piece,” said Sally Maldonado, Kuumba’s head of school.
Her charter, serving students for over 20 years, is preparing to launch opportunities for career and technical education, from financial management, to automotive and more. But planning rubs against a familiar foe: limited space.
“We really do have so many great partnerships and so many great relationships,” Maldonado said. “And although this building seems large, there's just not enough space for all of the great ideas that this team really has to support students and family.”
She believes the Youth Development Center could change that, once it takes shape. Leaders estimate the structure could be finished as early as fall 2024, if construction started now. But fundraising continues.
Back at the table, students thought about their own timelines.
Aniya Simmons probably won’t see the center as a student, but the senior hopes it brings scholars after her “more opportunities.” Isaiah is just ready to play basketball, while Amali hopes there can be clinics or clubs based on creative writing, too.
“Already, some kids are planning on graduating, some kids are about to graduate, and I feel like this right here,” Amali said, nodding to the center’s plans. “This would be a better experience for us.”
Got a story? Kelly Powers covers race, culture and equity for Delaware Online and USA TODAY Network Northeast, with a focus on education. Contact her at kepowers@gannett.com or (231) 622-2191, and follow her on Twitter @kpowers01.
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Wilmington's Community Education Building looks to expand downtown
