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YouthTalk
Saratoga is not a friendly community for teenagers
By Alex Shoor
Since I moved to Saratoga over 14 years ago, I have enjoyed a wonderful childhood. I received a spectacular education from the public school system here, and I often found an outlet for my outside interests as a young child. But as I grew older and matured, I felt as if something was missing from Saratoga. I started to notice that there was little for teenagers to do for excitement within city limits.
Very little of Saratoga in general focuses on activities for the youth of this city, particularly teenagers. Furthermore, I believe this community would greatly benefit if it worked harder to view its young people as assets to be nurtured, not anomalies to be neglected.
I was motivated to write this piece in response to the building of the Jamba Juice in the Argonaut Shopping Center. There was opposition to the store because of fear that it would attract too many teenagers. Regardless of whether someone on the Planning Commission made negative remarks about teenagers, I believe the rumored comments represent the feelings of many members of this community.
For too long, I have felt that adults in Saratoga stereotype teenagers and have a misconception of them. Although a few adolescents drive too fast and are disruptive, the majority of students in Saratoga have good intentions and are simply looking for a place to enjoy themselves.
Unfortunately, there is little in this town that can entertain teenagers. Our downtown is filled with a plethora of four-star restaurants that have little appeal to teens. In recent years, controversy has erupted regarding the harsh treatment of youth in at least one business establishment in downtown Saratoga. Rather than spending time in places a mile or two away from home, most young people like me must drive to downtown Los Gatos to find activities that interest us.
Although I understand the reasons why Saratoga can't play its football games at home, I believe this is yet another example of the necessity of teens leaving Saratoga to enjoy themselves. The inability to play home games at Saratoga High School decreases the sense of pride students might feel in their school and its community.
The youth of Saratoga are searching for a haven within city limits where they can feel welcome to socialize and be themselves without worrying about their every action being scrutinized by adults.
Sadly, when students can't find enough to do on weekends, they often turn to drinking, which endangers their lives should they choose to drive. By finding alternative forms of stimulation for teens, adults are helping to make our community safer for people of all ages. In addition, commerce in Saratoga would only profit from creating businesses in a large market to which teens have easy access.
Although a number of adults regard teenagers with apprehension, I was encouraged to read two letters in the Saratoga News recently by Saratoga parents defending teenagers. They understand that teens are not to be feared, but instead to be treated like respectable members of society. In most cases, the teenagers of this community obey the law and are good citizens. Many young Saratogans are seeking better relationships within Saratoga, especially with older people. I have discovered that a simple "hello" from an elderly person instills a feeling of contentment in me, knowing that goodwill can exist between young and old. I would like to see the creation of a mutual understanding between adults and children, in which the two age groups can carry out a symbiotic relationship.
Teenagers can contribute by being cordial in public, acting mature and dignified, and getting involved in the community.
The next step in solving the problem is to find concrete ways to ensure that Saratoga's youth are properly cared for and represented within the community. Saratoga should encourage teenager-friendly businesses throughout the city, such as music stores, ice cream shops and clothing stores, whether they are franchises or small enterprises. The city of Saratoga should consult young people on important changes within the community that may affect them. While I attended Saratoga High School, I frequently felt that a stronger relationship between the high school and the community would benefit both parties.
Efforts in recent years to create a community that teens can flock to have been promising. Both Westgate and El Paseo have added popular businesses. The rebuilt movie theater on the border of Saratoga is frequented by many Saratoga students, and it has a student discount that aids adolescents on a tight budget.
Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road has many establishments where teenagers can pick up a quick bite to eat at night.
If teenagers are truly the future of our country, as the cliché is often stated, then the community of Saratoga must begin to nurture their needs, so that they will want to make a positive impact on their surroundings, now and in the future. Adults in Saratoga empowered to understand and to become familiar with their younger counterparts just may find themselves pleasantly surprised. By catering to the wishes of this city's teenagers, Saratogans allow young people to take greater pride in this community and its citizens, while personally discovering a sense of accomplishment and philanthropy.
Alex Shoor graduated from Saratoga High School this year. He will attend Vanderbilt University in the fall and is working this summer as an intern in the office of Assemblyman Ted Lempert in the 21st Assembly District. If you would like to write a Youthtalk column, contact editor Dale Bryant, dbryant@metronews.com.
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Saratoga, California Since 1955
