COLUMBUS, Ohio –

It was a violent and deadly weekend in portions of the City of Columbus.

Following in the words of Mayor Michael Coleman, who spoke about violence in the community last week, one group is pushing hard for change.

Monday marked the kickoff of the youth summer program at Missionary Family Baptist Church.

“People get shot a lot, and hurt a lot, some bad things,” Jayla Payne, 11, said.

Payne and more than 100 others are signed up for the summer long boot camp program at the church.

“We try to make sure that they know the community loves them and wanted them to succeed, it is our job as adults to find resources for them,” Deanna Wilkinson OSU Associate Professor said.

One of the main components for the program this year is providing a daily planner for the young members of the Columbus community.

Making sure the kids have a plan, chart their goals and follow through is a big part of growing into good productive citizens as they get older.

“Having schedules, planners, and journals keeps track of what they do each day,” Wilkinson said.

This is year four for the program, and each year they seem to get stronger, and see real changes in the young people who sign up.

“We have seen some students who had been suspended 14 or 15 times, come here and they don’t get suspended anymore and make the honor roll,” Benjamin Price with Family Missionary Baptist Church said.

http://www.wric.com/story/25669790/summer-program-providing-positive-safe-activities-for-children