12 youth dead in 14 years | How a rec center in Lincoln Heights is fighting back

The kids scream. Others laugh. Some grunt.

“Breathe in. Exhale,” the instructor says. “Good job.”

The middle school students at St. Monica’s Recreation Center are doing yoga. Shoes off. Hands up.

“Namaste,” they say. “Namaste.”

On Thursday, this is part of their curriculum. A curriculum that also includes solving problems without violence. Through yoga — and work in the classroom.

This is “Peace Leaders Camp,” a grant-funded program in Lincoln Heights meant to empower young people. A program that focuses on peer-to-peer mediation. A program with this lesson: one person can make a difference.

And the center’s director says it’s working. Michael Pearl told us 12 young people involved with St. Monica's have died since he’s been in charge — Pearl has been there 14 years.

Some were murdered. But none recently.

“I feel like every day we open up our doors at St. Monica’s we have the opportunity to save lives, but unfortunately what I've learned is that we can't save every life,” he said. “But we save every life we can.”

Emily Gibney

On Thursday, WCPO 9 visited the camp to continue searching for solutions to youth violence. What we found was a place — and people — students described like family.

“These kids really are resilient. They bounce back from adversity. They overcome so much in their lives,” Pearl said. “And so we become that haven — that safe place where kids can come and grieve. But also bounce back from that grieving and talk about ways to not see that happen again.”

It’s why the word painted on the wall behind Pearl’s head says, “resilience.”

We sat in a classroom on Thursday as the executive director for the Center for Social-Emotional Learning spoke to middle school students about de-escalation techniques.

“Most kids have not learned these skills,” Bob Kelly said. “Heck, a lot of adults haven’t learned these skills.”

Dawn’Krista Durgan comes to St. Monica’s every day. The seventh-grader says it helps her juggle cheerleading and track practice and her dog named “Polo.”

“Well, his real name is Ralph Lauren,” she said. “But we call him Polo.”

Keith BieryGolick

Dawn’Krista told us this yearly camp has helped other kids become leaders and improve in the classroom. It’s impacted her, too.

“It has stopped me from getting in a lot of conflicts,” she said. “And it just helps me break down problems without making it worse.”

After her interview, Pearl gave Dawn’Krista a high five. He told her she was a natural. And when asked about kids like her and what it means to do this work, Pearl started crying.

“It's definitely more than a job,” he said. “I am blessed to be able to work at St. Monica’s.”