"He was a good friend:" Students at Boys & Girls Club begin effort to honor life lost

MILWAUKEE -- Gone, but not forgotten. On Wednesday, June 22nd, students at a Boys & Girls Club location in Milwaukee began their effort to honor a life lost, by naming a city park.

"Let's go for it. Let's not make mistakes. Let's not hesitate. Let's make it happen," said Dion Young, Boys & Girls Club member.

Dozens of students from the James Madison Academic Campus' Boys & Girls Club gathered Wednesday near 84th and Florist to announce their plans to procure a new name for what is now affectionately known as "Playground Park."

"The students came up with the idea of re-beautifying this park, hopefully re-dedicating it in the name of Tracolli Surveyor," said Emmanuel Weatherall, Boys & Girls Club staff member.

In December 2014, Surveyor, a 17-year-old student at James Madison High School, was shot to death just a few blocks from the school and the park.

When he was murdered, the junior was in the midst of applying for college, and having changed his life for the better, compliments of the Boys & Girls Club.

"We really wanted to get it in his name, so he could be remembered, so the kids know, you know what I'm saying? They're going to 'Tracolli Park.'" said Dwayne 'Chico' Leslie, Boys & Girls Club staff member.

The students plan to utilize the help of Alderman Cavalier Johnson in proceeding with their plans for the park.

This includes, potentially, tapping into the city's "MKE Plays" funding program, to cover associated costs. The effort is intended to both send a message regarding gun violence and to show this community that, while good people may go, they will not be forgotten.

"With the politics that's going on with the gun control, I think this will push it a little more, to, you know, cut it down a little bit," said Weatherall.

"We all knew him. He was a good friend to all of us, and for the park to be named after him would be a great honor." said Quincy Strong, Boys & Girls Club member.

In the next six weeks, some members of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee will focus on the park project as part of a civic engagement lesson.