In a concerted effort to curb youth violence and foster better community ties, Howard County Executive Calvin Ball has launched the Youth Engagement Strategy (YES!) Council. As stated in an announcement on the county's website, the council will identify youth-serving resources, recommend violence prevention strategies, and enhance collaborations across community sectors. Additionally, Ball has revealed a $100,000 budget infusion for STAND and PUSH, building on the previous two years' commitment of roughly $250,000 to these mentorship and violence prevention initiatives.
According to the same Howard County news release, the YES! The council carries a significant workload and is tasked with pinpointing and evaluating resources such as mentorship and mental health services. The Council is expected to deliver a comprehensive report on their progress by December 1 and maintain their endeavors' transparency with monthly public meetings. In a show of dedication to the marginalized, Tigana Duncan from STAND Mentorship said, "But we can't forget that one percent of our kids that may not even have hope for tomorrow."
Ball's previous efforts include investing over $1.5 million in Youth Engagement Programming (YEP)! Since 2023, more than 30 free youth programs have been created through grants.
The tangible outcomes of these investments are also evident in the tangible expansion of the Summer Youth Employment Program spearheaded by the Howard County Office of Workforce Development, a growth from 13 participants in 2018 to over 215 last year.
Moreover, the Department of Recreation and Parks continues to host the "Teen Kickbacks" program, providing a supervised space for teenagers to engage in sports and social activities with positive role models.
