Local Teens Say Peer Pressure Led To Friday Night Mob
By: Kim Behrens
Updated: June 28, 2011
PEORIA--Eleven year old Alyssa Hopson says she was too young to attend her neighbor's Friday night party.
But she's not surprised it got out of control.
"If somebody is fighting or something, they just want to be involved in it," said Hopson.
Brooklynn Smith-Brown says some of her friends were there.
"I guess people were supposed to fight at the party, so they kicked everybody out. So they went outside and were going to fight and met other people," Smith-Brown explains.
She says unruly behavior isn't uncommon.
"Some people get aggravated. Like, if you're at a party and it's packed, somebody bumps into you, you get mad...I do," says Smith-Brown.
Her friends agree.
They say the power of peer pressure can cause more harm than good.
"I think it's just because they want popularity, or they want someone to notice them, or they do it just to fit in, or just to seem cool," says Kiyana Brown.
Kyle Washington says problems arise because nothing else is going on.
"Just to do something...just have something to do," says Washington.
"They haven't had anything to do for so long," adds Brown. "So they act up."
While the students say there's not much to do in the community, their involvement in school sports helps keep them off the streets and keeps their head in the game.
"I'm with the basketball team. We all just hang together. Kick it," said Washington.
"I put myself around people that are cool, calm, collected," adds Smith-Brown. "Not all with the drama and all that."
Teens say teamwork and friendly competition create the right kind of pressure.
The kind that keeps them out of trouble.
"It just keeps you active, and you don't really have to go to those types of things," said Washington.
Meanwhile Peoria police have stepped up patrols in the West Bluff neighborhood.
Local leaders say they plan to work with the community to help address the issues of teen behavior.
But she's not surprised it got out of control.
"If somebody is fighting or something, they just want to be involved in it," said Hopson.
Brooklynn Smith-Brown says some of her friends were there.
"I guess people were supposed to fight at the party, so they kicked everybody out. So they went outside and were going to fight and met other people," Smith-Brown explains.
She says unruly behavior isn't uncommon.
"Some people get aggravated. Like, if you're at a party and it's packed, somebody bumps into you, you get mad...I do," says Smith-Brown.
Her friends agree.
They say the power of peer pressure can cause more harm than good.
"I think it's just because they want popularity, or they want someone to notice them, or they do it just to fit in, or just to seem cool," says Kiyana Brown.
Kyle Washington says problems arise because nothing else is going on.
"Just to do something...just have something to do," says Washington.
"They haven't had anything to do for so long," adds Brown. "So they act up."
While the students say there's not much to do in the community, their involvement in school sports helps keep them off the streets and keeps their head in the game.
"I'm with the basketball team. We all just hang together. Kick it," said Washington.
"I put myself around people that are cool, calm, collected," adds Smith-Brown. "Not all with the drama and all that."
Teens say teamwork and friendly competition create the right kind of pressure.
The kind that keeps them out of trouble.
"It just keeps you active, and you don't really have to go to those types of things," said Washington.
Meanwhile Peoria police have stepped up patrols in the West Bluff neighborhood.
Local leaders say they plan to work with the community to help address the issues of teen behavior.
