Van Cleve offers kids a place to belong

Youthline, Van Cleve’s kids and teens program, builds consistency and life skills through field trips and staff.

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Story and photos by Grace Aigner / The Hubbard School

On most days, Van Cleve Park and Community Center appears as a bucolic space for recreation, athletics and art for the neighborhoods north of the University. 

On Monday, as park goers played pickleball, basketball, walked laps or lounged on the grass, Como resident Guillermo Hernandez watched his two daughters, ages 12 and 9, swimming. 

“At that age, you know, what is it that you don’t love? Once you have a free space to hang out and be you?” Hernandez said. “That's when it counts.”

But for the staff at Van Cleve, this is more than just a place to play pick-up basketball. It's a place for all kids to experience belonging, even when they struggle to find it.

“It seems like a lot of the kids don’t come from a background where they have a lot of  resources,” Gen Heywood, who manages the community center’s front desk, said. 

Heywood said she and her co-workers try their best to meet every need of the kids who come through the center’s doors, such as a free daily snack for kids under 18 years old during the summer.

“It's nice for them to come here and get a little bag of Cheez-Its and a juice box if they're hungry,” Heywood said. “Obviously, I don't know what kids are at home eating three meals a day and what kids aren't.”

Jarvis Rongstad, who leads Van Cleve’s program for ages 12 to 17, is officially in charge of coordinating field trips for youth through the center to locations throughout Minneapolis, such as theme parks or nearby fishing locations. Called Youthline, the program supports teens not only with programming, but by offering mentorship and teaching life skills.

Rongstad, 34, said he has gone further by getting to know the kids and their families. During the school year, he keeps tabs on kids’ grades by asking about their classes or sometimes calling their parents. At times, he said, some parents allow him to talk directly with the child’s teachers. 

“Building relationships with them and then their parents as well, is how I build relationships with their teachers,” Rongstad, who is originally from Osseo, Wisc., said. “So if they are struggling in one area or anything like that, we can stay on top of that.”

Consistency is key to forming trusted relationships with kids and their families who visit the center, Rongstad said. Many youth show up to field trips more frequently because of their familiarity with him at the park.

If needed, Rongstad will include 9-year-olds in the field trips to accommodate their teenage siblings who may be responsible for the younger child. 

At times, Rongstad’s approach to what he calls “teen work” needs to be even more involved in their lives, he said.

“With inner city, from time to time, we do get homeless teens,” Rongstad said. “Not too often, but there are times where I've had to stay after close and all that, calling shelters and seeing where beds are.”

Only 12 out of Minneapolis’ 47 recreation centers have Youthline programming. Rongstad said he is one of 11 people working for the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board with his exact position.

Rongstad said that while it feels good to make an impact on the kids who visit Van Cleve, he sees himself as a part of the bigger picture of their lives.

“Today's culture with kids is very different than when I was growing up,” Rongstad said. “I make sure we go on fun field trips, but also our fishing field trip is every weekend, so it's like getting them to do hands-on stuff that they might not normally do, which will help them in the future.”