New program benefits local youth

Community Services of Northeast Texas, Inc. (CSNT) has been awarded by the American Electric Power Foundation a $50,000 grant to provide a new youth program for high school students. The program is the Youth Empowerment Program.

The commitment from the AEP Foundation will allow CSNT to develop and implement a multi-faceted youth program with after-school activities, structured instruction time, and time for socialization, study, and projects. This program is similar to a 2010 program CSNT built with stimulus funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

The AEP Foundation is funded by American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP) and its utility operating units, including Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO).

The program will be housed at 301 E. Houston St., the former home of the Academy of Texas Music, Inc., and the site of the Texas Music Awards for several years. The youth will be part of the planning, decorating, and project development of the program focusing on goals that result in confident, caring adults who are productive, informed and prepared to be good citizens and good customers.

The program will be open each Monday through Thursday and Saturdays from 2:00 pm to 8:00 pm. The program will be closed on Fridays to encourage family time and school activities. Security and safety will be a high standard for the project and technology enhancements to the building will monitor the arrivals and departures of the participants.

Among a long list of exciting projects and training, the youth (9th - 12th grade) will be introduced to conventional etiquette protocols and will host three black-tie social gatherings and an awards dinner. They will be introduced to political leaders, industry leaders, and will attend a life simulation training which teaches good decision-making.

The project will receive support from federal funding, and as such, the atmosphere will be neutral, non-partisan, and inclusive. There will be no activities that intend to alter values as set forth by the participant’s guardians.

However, the youth will be expected to adhere to rules (which they will help write) and a certain decorum while being in a safe, social learning environment which teaches them life lessons they might not get elsewhere.

“Finally, our young people can be part of an activity that will serve them forever,” said CSNT’s Executive Director Dan Boyd. “We are always surprised at how our youth are missing some of the basic skills needed to be impactful in the workforce.

Thanks to the generosity of the AEP Foundation, we intend to change that, even if it’s one student at a time.”

SWEPCO presented the funding to CSNT in a PRESS CONFERENCE at CSNT’s conference space at 304 E Houston St. in Linden, Texas on January 6, 2020.