Keeping the youth occupied during the summer is one of the biggest challenges parents face every extended school break.
To help address the issue, the Atlanta Hawks and State Farm partnered to fund a community room renovation at the N.H. Scott Recreation Center in DeKalb County. At the unveiling of the newly upgraded room on June 9, State Farm Arena vice president Sam McCammon, DeKalb County Super District 7 Commissioner Lorraine Cochran-Johnson and Atlanta Hawks two-way guard Sharife Cooper spoke to rolling out about the impact of the room reopening.
What is this community room event about?
McCammon: The dedication of the new Good Neighbor Club here, which was our first Good Neighbor Club in DeKalb County. This is really a space the youth can come, especially over summer break, and enjoy all the amenities we put in this room. You’ll see two flat-screen TVs, a ping pong table, and a popcorn machine. We’ve got a theater projector here for the kids to enjoy Movie Night. We’re just excited to kick off this partnership with the Atlanta Hawks, so the kids in this community can not only use it this summer, but for years to come. So we’re really excited to be here.
How does it feel to be here celebrating the opening of this new room?
Sharife Cooper: It’s exciting. It’s exciting to see how excited everyone else is. Being that the Hawks and State Farm put forward the initiative and invested in these kids and gave them their own space to be creative with, it’s a beautiful thing. I love to see it.
How important is it for kids to have something to do when school is out?
Cochran-Johnson: Now, more than ever, it is so important for us to provide meaningful opportunities for our children and for those opportunities to be structured. It’s important for those opportunities to teach everything from conflict resolution to leadership, to cooperation. This Good Neighbor lounge, it incorporates all those things. We have everything here [including] games that will be beneficial. Right now, we actually have summer camp going on at this park at this moment. Giving children appropriate facilities so they can engage, so they can grow is so important. Many of our parks are in need of revitalization. So this room — had you seen it before — well, the revitalization took place and it’s a totally different environment. Now, it’s bright and vibrant in color. It engages the senses and it’s it just says, “Hey, come on in here and have a good time.” So, we’re grateful for this because it’s exactly what our children need.
