In life, there are infinite amounts of interests and hobbies that can be connected to water. Although, there is a particular activity that doesn’t come to most people’s minds: Dragon boating. Specifically, there is a sport that’s been in practice since 489 BC. This is known as Dragon boating. In the 1970’s it began to spread internationally, and in present day there is a program in Orlando which is presented to the youth from low socio-economic backgrounds. It began in the early 2010’s, and it formed a mentoring program between the Orlando Fire Department, Orlando Police Department, Orlando Sheriff’s office, and the youth from select youth recreation centers in underserved neighborhoods.
Dueling Dragons of Orlando is an effective way to encourage students to be active and an essential plan to bridge the gap between the Orlando law enforcement and the youth from underserved communities. To begin with, Dueling Dragons of Orlando is an effective way to encourage young adults to be active in the community. For reference, participants of the sport are seated in a 40-foot dragon boat, which seats 20 people. The objective is to get all 20 people to uniformly paddle at a quick or set speed, to ensure the boat speeds up and runs smoothly.
Truthfully, the amount of work it takes to paddle a 500-meter race is about equal to the feeling of running for 2 and a half minutes straight. It is not as easy as it sounds, and it is an incredibly effective way to get kids outside and have their heart-rate up. Additionally, through this program, the students are given an amazing opportunity to take a free, all-inclusive trip to a large and significant United States city. In these trips, the teens and officers take place in the largest race of the season. Most importantly, the youth are allowed a free tour of the city’s colleges, and historic museums. Surely, it can be said that this program provides a life-changing experience that they most-likely wouldn’t be able to receive if it weren’t for the program.
More importantly, it allows the youth to be active in the community because they come back home with new knowledge and appreciation of the world and their community. All things considered, Dueling Dragons efficiently encourages the youth to get outside and learn new things, but it also provides a connection to important authority figures, which may not be possible without the program. Furthermore, Dueling Dragons of Orlando is an essential plan that bridges the gap between the Orlando law enforcement and the youth of the underserved communities. For instance, the program allows the youth who typically have a distrust of officers, to create life-long friendships with them. This demonstrates the program’s ability to develop a new bond that most likely would have never been formed. Most children from unrepresented backgroundsand low-income families have an automatic hostility towards law enforcement, which is created from the media’s biased misinformation and the world’s miscommunications. Through the use of this program, hundreds of kids that would typically detest officers, form a new-found trust and appreciation for them. Correspondingly, the new bond and trust that is formed for law enforcement in the youth, is spread throughout the community. To explain, the youth who originally would talk badly about law enforcement and continue the cycle of mistrust, now change their perspectives. The new and improved opinions and positive stories with law enforcement are heard by friends and families, and those small instances are what eventually form a connection between the community and its law enforcement officers. In sum, Dueling Dragons is important to close the disconnect between these authorities and the young people of Orlando.
Dueling Dragons of Orlando has a grand impact on the city. The program ensures that kids are getting outside and bringing pertinent information to their communities. As well as, bridging the gap between the underserved youth and the law enforcement officers of Orlando. The program only grows with each season, and it slowly but surely creates the beautiful connection throughout the young citizens and their authorities. The program of Dueling Dragons clearly demonstrates an amazing skill because not only does it allow teenagers to trust cops, it allows them to stay healthy and gain new knowledge for the real world. This is important information, because the more attention the program receives, the more support and funding it can attain. This support allows the program to continue running, and the connection between the upholders of our societies, and the future decision-makers becomes strengthened. A structure cannot properly function, if its foundation and pillars are not solid. In our society, the foundation is formed through human connections and mutual trust and respect. This program is a significant and effective way to further curate these strong pillars and pave the way for a successful future of our city and its well-being.
Article by Ambar C , Dueling Dragons student paddler. Ambar is an 1th grader at Colonial High School and a second year DD paddler from the Englewood Rec Center. Her dream is to go to UCF and become a Psychologist.
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