Summer Late Nights, created to reduce youth gun violence in Tacoma, receives award for Program Excellence 

In the first three months of 2023, three Tacoma youth died as a direct result of gun violence. Another 10 were charged as adults in connection to violent felonies, including homicide.   

On May 16, 2023, the City Council unanimously adopted Resolution 41197 acknowledging the devastating impact of gun violence in the city of Tacoma, naming the disparity of those impacts on Black youth, affirming its commitment to decreasing violence in the community and directing Tacoma’s city manager to implement immediate actions to bolster community safety and the wellbeing of our youth. 

Summer Late Nights provide a safe place to keep teens safe and engaged.

That resolution was the catalyst of Summer Late Nights, which opened its doors just five weeks later thanks to a partnership between Parks Tacoma, Greentrike, Boys & Girls Club of South Puget Sound, YMCA-Pierce & Kitsap Counties and several youth providers. 

Now, a year after its inception, Summer Late Nights has received a Spotlight Award for Program Excellence in Diversity, Equity and Wellness from the Washington Recreation & Parks Association.

“I’m so proud of the collaboration and work that went into answering this call on such short notice,” said Parks Tacoma Board President Andrea Smith. “The success we saw in providing safe and healthy spaces for Tacoma’s youth would not have been possible without such an incredible team.” 

Middle and high school students can get dinner every night and participate in open gym, art and music activities, and hang out with friends.

Summer Late Nights operates Monday through Friday from 5-10 p.m. at 12 different locations including schools, community centers, Boys & Girls Clubs and a YMCA. Programming is provided at zero cost to students and offers drop-in attendance with a wide assortment of opportunities, including basketball and volleyball tournaments, art, music and STEM activities, mentorship and leadership clinics and more while socializing and building relationships in a safe and healthy environment. Each site also offers a nightly hot meal service to boost appeal and help alleviate food insecurity. 

In 2023, Summer Late Nights recorded more than 12,000 visits from 1,687 middle and high school students across all 12 sites, which were chosen after examining the Tacoma Equity Index and assessing community strengths and disparities. Locations were prioritized in areas with low or moderate opportunity zones and programming focused on providing safe and healthy activities as well as minimizing barriers to welcome all teens in Tacoma and surrounding districts. 

Summer Late Nights will return this year at the same locations beginning on June 24 and running Monday-Friday through August 30 with the exception of July 4-5. Registration through Tacoma Public Schools’ Compass/Family App is encouraged. For more information, please visit MetroParksTacoma.org/summer-late-nights. 

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Media Contact: 

Stacia Glenn, Public Information Officer 

(253) 345-0948; [email protected]