Amount Requested: $363,381.00

The requested funding will support the Youth Empowerment Program. Funding will be used for character education, tutorial assistance, conflict resolution, goal setting and leadership development for the after school and summer program.  The students will learn the necessary skills to prevent them from participating in gang and other violent activities.  A planned technological component will allow students to design their own website about the project with positive, drug-free messages.  The purpose is to demonstrate to the youth healthy alternatives to drug usage.   This activity will also enhance their academic experience. Students will engage in mathematical exercises, scientific experiments, and nature activities to increase their critical thinking skills.  The benefits of this program include: improving educational goals, increasing student interest and decreasing dropout rates.  The program is intended to decrease the amount of unsupervised after school time, decrease the juvenile delinquency activity in the area, decrease the student dropout rate and increase the compliance rates with the required Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) test.