Curbing teen crime in the summer

CAPITAL REGION, N.Y. ( NEWS10 ) – After a string of crimes committed by young people across the Capital Region last week, NEWS10 learned more about organizations that keep kids off the streets. Sky’s the Limit is one summer program that’s been successful at getting kids on the right track.

In Troy, surveillance footage from outside of the Twisted Fiddler shows the moment a car crashed into the outdoor patio. It happened Wednesday morning. Owner Tim Taney said he was still in bed when he got the shocking news.

“I got a text message from my neighbor, who lives down the street, and he says, ‘Someone just drove through your patio,’ and sent me a picture. And I was like, ‘What!?’ So I went to the surveillance footage and it was jarring. It was jarring to see,” said Taney.

The Troy Police Department said that the suspect, who can be seen on video running from the vehicle, is a 14 year old and the vehicle he was driving was stolen and the ignition had been running.

This happened after another teen joy ride in Albany. Last Monday morning, three 13 year olds crashed a stolen car into a CDTA bus, injuring four passengers on the bus.

Police said they couldn’t give exact numbers on teen crime rates but have noticed, anecdotally, an increase in teens involved in serious crimes the past several years.

That’s why in 2019 Lisa Paparone started a summer track club, Sky’s the Limit. She said track saved her in high school and it’s important for teens.

“Because they are finding something they enjoy they can share with other people. They’re making friendships. They’re not sitting at home on social media or being at the wrong place at the wrong time. We see too much of that happen,” said Paparone.

The Albany County Legislature just awarded them, and 28 other community organizations, a $2,170 grant. Runner Jordan Godard said the team has kept him on the right track for the past five years.

“This has definitely kept me from getting in trouble because it switched my whole friend group from who I hung out with before, to just hanging out with straight athletes now. So I feel like track definitely benefited me for the better, honestly,” said Godard.

He said many of the boys on the team have served In School Suspensions (ISS).

“We just take them from ISS and bring them on the track team and that’s how we found a majority of our track athletes. Also, it keeps them good in school cause you have to keep your grades high to stay on the team,” said Godard, who admitted he wasn’t the best student before joining the track team. He describes what his favorite part has been.

“Getting to meet a whole bunch of people throughout the Capital Region. Getting along. It’s become a family, low-key,” said Godard.

Sky’s the Limit is free to join. Paparone said practices are free, however athletes do need to pay for insurance to compete on the AAU level. She said the team has been growing and now has athletes between the ages 9 and 19. Paparone said they’re fundraising for the AAU Junior Olympic National Championship Track meet , happening next week. They’re currently raffling baskets .

As for Taney, he’s thankful no one was hurt. The crash happened in the morning, before business hours – avoiding potential fatalities.

“I think it’s part of being a kid, making dumb choices. But before you make those decisions think of not only how it will affect you, but who you might hurt in making that decision,” said Taney. “These kids certainly weren’t thinking about getting into a car and killing anybody, but that definitely could’ve been the result of that decision so think about the others that might be affected by your poor choices.”

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