City school students who live in poverty and are left on their own after school hours are more likely to participate in risky behavior. But some of Buffalo's at-risk teenagers are being supported through an after school program provided by Young Audiences Western New York. In this Focus on Education report, WBFO's Eileen Buckley was invited to a session that offers a nurturing environmental for the youth year round.
Each Thursday afternoon, in a quiet corner on the second floor of the downtown library, teens gather for a "circle conversation". They're participating in a program titled 'Most at Risk'. Some students are on probation and wear ankle bracelets. We were not allowed to use their names or take photos of their faces because of their juvenile defenders status -- some are still being held at the youth detention center and probation officers stand in the background. But I was allowed to record their voices. As the clock on the wall approached 5 p.m. we were allowed to eavesdrop on their discussion about getting into criminal trouble.