For Soniya, age 11, interacting with the police is all about cheerleading and homework.
At the Police Athletic League's after-school program, Soniya practices her cheerleading and does her homework with around 60 other kids who participate.
The Tucker PAL Center, where Soniya spends her afternoons, is located in the Alexander Wilson School on 46th Street and Woodland and is one of the 27 branches of the Philadelphia Police Athletic League.
The Tucker PAL Center's Monday-through-Friday program is for kids ages six to 18 and is run by the University of Pennsylvania Police Department.
Penn Police officer Cassandra Parks-DeVaughn has led the Tucker PAL Center for the past five years. Parks-DeVaughn said she applied for the job because her life was influenced by "a lot of good people" and she felt she "had a lot to give back."
When kids first join the program, Parks-DeVaughn explains that it is "her house" and lays down the rules: no cursing, no negativity and respect for each other.
Parks-DeVaughn's supervisor, Lt. Gary Williams, said he thinks the program is great because it "gives juveniles in the immediate area another option after school," explaining that the program is a positive way to keep kids occupied.
"Kids get into trouble when they have too much free time on their hands," he said.
The PAL day usually starts when classes end, at around 3 p.m., and runs through 9 p.m. The kids must do homework for at least the first hour they are there. If they don't have any homework, they can read.
After the first hour of homework, everyone does what Parks-DeVaughn calls "constructive activities." These activities range from athletics - basketball, flag football, cheerleading - to arts and crafts to computer work. The activities change each day and the number of kids who attend changes based on what activity is being offered that day.
Verizon Wireless has recently "adopted" the Tucker PAL Center. This means Verizon contributes between $10,000 and $25,000 to the center, according to Williams. Different companies sponsor the program for periods of time.
Officer Parks-DeVaughn said her favorite part of her job is "interacting with the kids and seeing them learn."
Frankie, age 8, said his favorite part of the program is "Miss Cassandra."
