MLK students urge MNPS to create teen-centered "third spaces" after community trauma

Two students from Martin Luther King Jr. Academic Magnet High School used public comment time to press the board for dedicated teen-centered "third spaces" where students can gather, study and access mentorship and internships.

Jomana Kamal, a rising senior at MLK, told the board that many students lack access to internships, scholarships and mentorships that help them prepare for careers. Kamal urged the district to "create a student friendly website to connect teens to free classes, mentorships, volunteering hours, and donation opportunities," and argued such steps would help students develop skills in entrepreneurship, arts and other fields.

Anaya Parker, also a rising senior at MLK, framed the need as a safety and wellbeing concern. Parker said a 2021 incident in which "a man shot both his wife and himself" in a parking lot near a library and park forced younger students to witness traumatic scenes. "This tragedy is one example of why teens need spaces designed for us," Parker said, adding that libraries and community centers are often too far, overcrowded or shared with unhoused populations.

Both speakers said academic pressures and shrinking extracurricular supports leave students overwhelmed and in need of supervised places to unwind and connect. Their remarks were delivered during the meeting's public participation segment and were not followed by formal board action at the session.