Decibel
Making Space For The Future Of Rundberg
Clip | 4m 14sVideo has Closed Captions
Nate Koehler is using a few hours at an after school program to build successful futures for kids.
Nate Koehler is a recreation program specialist at the Gus Garcia Recreation Center in Rundberg, but he describes he job a little differently. "I have the best job in the world. I make space for people," he says. And he's not just creating a fun spot for kids and teens to hang out after school--he's also teaching them life skills and giving them a place to find opportunities for their future.
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Decibel is a local public television program presented by Austin PBS
Funding for Decibel is provided in part by Texas Mutual and Roxanne Elder & Scott Borders
Decibel
Making Space For The Future Of Rundberg
Clip | 4m 14sVideo has Closed Captions
Nate Koehler is a recreation program specialist at the Gus Garcia Recreation Center in Rundberg, but he describes he job a little differently. "I have the best job in the world. I make space for people," he says. And he's not just creating a fun spot for kids and teens to hang out after school--he's also teaching them life skills and giving them a place to find opportunities for their future.
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- [Student] Quesadilla.
- Quesadilla, quesadilla.
But I never stopped really being a kid.
It's crazy sometimes the things that I'm allowed to get away with.
- [Interviewer] Is there one where you're like, "I can't believe they let me get away with this?"
- I was this close to buying a Danny DeVito lifesize cutout for the classroom.
(upbeat music) Hey, Valentina, Anthony, y'all gotta come sign in.
I'm Nathan Kohler, but people just call me Nate.
I am a recreation program specialist.
Everything from youth sports, after school programs, you know, that's kind of my job to conceive and then materialize.
We're gonna cook.
We're gonna make some burritos.
- Burritos?
- Burritos.
We're gonna be making burritos today.
I mean, kids are hungry.
Let's feed 'em and let's teach 'em how to feed themselves.
(wrapper crinkling) You have to cut vegetables at home?
A lot of these kids, they have parents who work a lot or they have younger siblings, and it's possible that they're at home by themselves the same way I was when I was growing up.
Now when you're cutting, try to make sure you keep your fingers kind of back like this so you don't like... You know what I mean, all right?
So after you make that cut then...
The goal of this program, they don't know it, they just think that they're cooking and having fun and eating, but the goal for me, for this program, is that they have kitchen confidence and that they understand you can use this as a tool to take care of yourself and your family later.
(food sizzling) This is gonna take a while.
I'll just leave it out there for a minute.
(food sizzling) (basketball thudding) The kids that come in here, it's a mixed bag.
(airy music) It's hard here.
And when you're around just that hardship, I'm gonna be real, like, you have to find some way to cope.
(student speaking Spanish) You see great talent and intelligence, and you see wisdom beyond their years.
But there are some tough kids out here.
There are some kids that need a little bit of extra patience or a couple extra chances.
You have to keep a, you know, a tight watch, but you also have to approach with a lot of understanding.
Dang, you're already done?
I really mean it when I tell you, like, I understand.
You know, I see a lot of myself there.
(airy music) (object thudding) I was an ace kid, but I skipped a lot of school.
I never imagined that I would go to a college or graduate or have a professional title.
I actually would not have graduated high school if it wasn't for the afterschool program.
They were like this.
We did cooking classes, we had boxing classes, but it was all supervised, it was all positive.
- Can I borrow a couple napkins?
- Yeah.
Come on.
Are you okay?
- Yeah.
You sure?
(wrapper rustling) And then I got one more to put in your pocket for later once this one falls off.
I just got lucky to be honest.
I mean, I had a lot of chances.
I'm just trying to buy as much time for everyone around me so that if they wake up and have that same realization one day, it's not too late.
(lively music) (food sizzling) I'll make it with you because I'm gonna make one too.
Let's do it together.
My job is to make space for people.
To give them all that space that they can explore.
- You didn't like it?
(giggling) - I hope when they grow up and they look back, they don't only see the hardship, they also see there was moments that were light and they were joyful.
There was a lot of good things that were happening here too.
(upbeat music)
They Started A Newspaper. Then Their School Became The Story.
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Clip | 7m 28s | The uncertain future of a middle school, as reported by their newspaper class. (7m 28s)
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Decibel is a local public television program presented by Austin PBS
Funding for Decibel is provided in part by Texas Mutual and Roxanne Elder & Scott Borders