With Montbello Recreation Center closed after shooting, different rec center in Denver opens doors to help
The tragic shooting of a Denver teenager has rattled the Montbello community.
Mikail Nasir Khalid Payne, 14, was killed at the Montbello Recreation Center on Friday. That rec center is now closed, but another rec center in Montbello is stepping up to provide a place for the community's youth to hang out while shaping their future.
At Athletics and Beyond in Montbello they have a lot to boast about.
"As you can see on our right, this is some of our trophies that we've earned. So, you'll see basketball, football," said front desk attendant Talia Ortiz, pointing to a large trophy case.
"What we offer is supervised programming where our kids are with trainers," said Executive Director Narcy Jackson.
They say they have achieved a lot on and off the field
"There's more than just sports here," said Ortiz.
They say athletics are just how they get young people in the door. When they arrive, that's when Jackson and his staff start to develop more than just their physical skills. They work on the whole person.
"While we have them here, we start to talk about their five-year goals or 10-year goals -- where they see themselves and so forth," said Jackson.
In addition to athletics, they offer STEM and tutoring programs.
Talia Ortiz, who works the front desk, is also a student who attends programming at Athletics and Beyond. The front desk job is one of the ways the program is helping her achieve her goals.
"She's in our apprentice program, so she's getting skill sets and she's learning how to help run a gym and stuff like that," said Jackson.
But even though he tries, Jackson says he can't protect everyone. Like the young man that was killed on Friday. He says the killing of Mikail Nasir Khalid Payne has shaken everyone in Montbello.
"Those types of things right there just tear the community apart. And then the people that are left behind on both sides and both from both families, the people that are left behind are now (thinking) 'What next?'" said Jackson.
He says Athletics and Beyond is always open to the community to help but especially during this tough time. He is working on gathering resources to help kids deal with this loss and inviting all youth to come to his rec center. He says being involved with productive, forward-thinking adults and peers can help prevent the next tragedy from happening.
"We're in this together. I want people to know that their children have a place to go," said Jackson.
