November 2019 - Parks & Recreation - 19

where they support our park staff and receive a paycheck
each week and where they learn communication, conflict resolution and problem-solving skills.
Intern assignments support MDPROS operations
and recreation staff, and assignments rotate every eight
weeks to increase exposure to a variety of job opportunities, mentors and supervisors. Participants are referred
to the program by MDC Juvenile Services Department,
MDC Public School counselors and by park managers.
The Fit2Lead curriculum leverages teachable moments in sports and physically active recreation to introduce and hone life skills to reduce risk and promote
resilience. " Our hope is that it inspires kids to seek out
other options when making decisions, " says Cathy
Burgos, the MDC Department of Juvenile Services Division director of operations. " Through the program,
participants are being exposed to something different
and learning from productive adults who are instilling
in them that they have something to lose. "
Youth begin each afternoon session practicing mindfulness through guided breathing and imagery. Park
staff hired specifically for the Fit2Lead program lead
the lessons and include engaging/hands-on activities
and team-oriented games, using sports equipment and
art supplies, to teach and reinforce the target skills for
that unit. The program averages 34 youth per site with
a staff-to-child ratio of 10:1 or less. This allows for an
intimate, safe setting, with repeated exposure to consistent mentors, peer groups and messaging, where youth
can learn and can express themselves through enrichment workshops and journaling. " If the kid is in our
parks, [they're] off the streets. Being in the program
teaches them alternatives to fighting, " adds Wayne Silvestro, parks recreation leader for Fit2Lead.
Implications of Fit2Lead
and Next Steps
A recent study published in the American Journal of Public
Health demonstrates a strong relationship between Fit2Lead implementation among at-risk youth and changes
in neighborhood youth violence statistics over two years.
Findings from this study have important implications for
park systems and other community-based programs aiming to reduce youth violence. This work builds on a growing body of evidence, demonstrating that park systems
have immense capacity as vital health resources in our
communities to promote our mental and physical health.
" At Miami-Dade Parks, with the support of the Chil-

Some Key Findings from a Recent
Fit2Lead Study
Key findings from recent research on the relationship between Fit2Lead implementation among at-risk youth and
changes in neighborhood youth violence statistics in MDC,
Florida over two years were published in the American
Journal of Public Health (https://tinyurl.com/y64kqnly) and
include:
After two years of program implementation, juvenile arrests declined significantly more in Zip Codes where the
Fit2Lead program was offered compared with Zip Codes
matched by baseline crime, and neighborhood sociodemographics (age, gender, race/ethnicity, single-parent
households and poverty) where the program was not offered.
After two years of program implementation, there
were 166 fewer arrests per 10,000 population in Zip Codes
where the program was versus was not offered. Similar
significant arrest declines were also found within a halfmile radius of MDPROS park sites that offered Fit2Lead
compared with another youth program.
MDPROS parks that offered other youth programs but
were within 0.5-1 mile of a Fit2Lead program showed decreases in youth arrest rates, in contrast to farther distances, which showed no change or even an increase in
juvenile arrest rates.

dren's Trust, the Parks Foundation and other partners,
we ensure that every child in our community is given the
necessary tools to reach her or his greatest potential, " says
Maria I. Nardi, director of Miami-Dade County Parks,
Recreation and Open Spaces Department. " Our Fit2Lead
program provides essential opportunities for teenagers from
underserved communities to achieve academic excellence,
develop leadership abilities, be inspired to attend college,
learn a trade and pursue careers. Our goal is to continue
to expand the reach of parks programs like this, to provide
kids with the life skills and tools to become productive
members of our community and fulfill their dreams. "
Detailed references for this article are available at www.
nrpa.org/parks-recreation-magazine/2019/November/
the-fit2lead-program.
Emily M. D'Agostino, DrPH, is Assistant Professor in the Dept. of Family
Medicine and Community Health, Duke University School of Medicine,
(emily.m.dagostino@duke.edu). Stacy Frazier, Ph.D., is Professor in the
Clinical Science Program in Child and Adolescent Psychology, Florida
International University, (slfrazi@fiu.edu). Eric Hansen, MPA, is Chief of
Recreation Programs and Services for Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation
and Open Spaces Dept., (eric.hansen@miamidade.gov). Sarah E. Messiah,
Ph.D., is a Professor and Director, Center for Pediatric Population Health,
University of Texas Health Sciences Center, (sarah.e.messiah@uth.tmc.edu).

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