ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Kids are home for the summer and with less to do, the city of St. Petersburg is working to provide fun and engaging ways for middle and high schoolers to stay busy and keep from getting into trouble.

The city’s first Safe Summer Friday is taking place from 6:30 p.m. 10:30 p.m. on Friday, June 14, at the Lake Vista Recreation Center near Lakewood High School. The events are specifically for teens from the ages 12 to 16 and will take place every other Friday night until school is back in session.

Education coordinator Carlos Daniels says the goal of the program is to provide a safe, positive environment for younger teens. While the events offered will be different each week, this Friday includes pick-up sports games, video game competitions, snacks, movies, among other things. In the weeks to come, Daniels hopes to have a video game trailer and laser tag so they can offer things teens can’t find at home or in their neighborhoods.

“We have to be more creative, we have to be more innovative to get the youth in and off the streets,” Daniels said. “We have to give them more opportunities to come in and have fun with one of our safe programs.”

Daniels says getting parents involved and on board is an important part of the puzzle. They’re asking during drop-off Friday night that parents come in and sign a waiver and also meet their teen night staff.

"We need the buy in from the parents so they know their kids are in a safe haven, a good spot where they can enjoy themselves,” Daniels said.

The Safe Summer Fridays are just one piece of a larger plan between the City of St. Pete and the St. Pete Police Department. The city’s Youth Care Program formally launched Monday, which through the work of a new liaison helps reroute teens who are consistently getting into trouble in an effort to break the cycle. The liaison will also help teens who have been charged with a crime work their way through the legal process, so they can really understand the consequences of their actions.

During the formal kick off for the program, Chief Anthony Holloway said they’ve seen a number of issues with younger teens since school let out. That includes issues on the St. Pete Pier when a pellet gun was fired at diners and an incident in early June when police arrested two 13 year olds who were stealing cars.

“We can’t arrest our way out of this problem,” Holloway said. “Because if the kids keep committing these crimes, we’re having a vicious cycle.”

While there is a number of different elements that make up the new Youth Care Program, part of it is having positive and safe options for teens to spend their time. That is where Safe Summer Friday’s come in.

The dates of these events are June 14, June 28, July 1, July 26 and Aug. 9. Updates and more information can be found at www.stpete.org/safesummer.