Onetta Harris center hosts teen dance Onetta Harris center hosts teen dance (June 01, 2005)

It's not easy to get rid of violence in your community. But at least you can give young people a more positive way to spend a Friday night.

For the first time in years, a teen dance will be held at the Onetta Harris Community Center in the Belle Haven neighborhood of Menlo Park, on Friday, June 3, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Organizers are hoping to attract a healthy crowd of students from grades 7 through 12.

"In the almost six years I've been here, we haven't had a teen dance at Onetta Harris," city recreation supervisor Dirk Alvarado said. "This is in my mind a pretty significant event."

Many city officials and local residents have voiced concerns about crime rising in the area because of the weak economy. The "Silence the Violence Dance" is also a group effort.

It's being put on by the city's community services department, with the support of the Menlo Park and East Palo Alto police departments.

Other involved groups are Mothers Against Drugs & Violence and the youth advisory council for Sassy, a job-skills training program for young people run by OICW, the Menlo Park-based job training center.

The Onetta Harris center is at 100 Terminal Ave. Tickets to the dance are $5 in advance and $7 at the door, with the proceeds expected to help fund a youth talent show at the center. For more information, call 330-7459.

Students at the dance must bring a school picture ID and follow a strict dress code.

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