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Oklahoma teens help other teens live on their own

 
JESSE OLIVAREZ | Published: July 29, 2009    Comment on this article Leave a comment
photo - A student stocks food inside the new pantry at Youth Services for Oklahoma County Inc.
A student stocks food inside the new pantry at Youth Services for Oklahoma County Inc.

Josh Pericas, who graduated this year from Edmond Memorial High School, hasn’t figured out what he will major in when he goes to college this fall. He does know that he wants to dedicate his life to serving people.

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• Youth Leadership Exchange is the high-school-age version of Leadership Oklahoma. High school students in grades 10 through 12 from across the metro area apply for admission, and 45 are accepted. During the yearlong program, students take classes designed to teach them how to become community leaders through volunteer service. For more information, call 528-5439 or go to www.lokc.org.


• Supporting Kids in Independent Living is a program offered by Youth Services for Oklahoma County Inc. The program provides high school students living on their own with support they need as they work toward attaining their high school diplomas. The program serves students in Millwood, Oklahoma City, Putnam City and Western Heights school districts. For more information, call 235-7537 or go to www.ysoc.org.

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Pericas said his decision to be in service to others came about largely because of his involvement in the Youth Leadership Exchange program. Pericas and 44 other high school students from across the metro area worked together to raise money for the construction of a new pantry for the Supporting Kids in Independent Living, or SKIL, program.

"It’s been a great learning experience,” Pericas said. "We all started out kind of unaware of what was around. This jump started us to learn about different groups of people and helped our awareness.”

The pantry, which is at Youth Services for Oklahoma County Inc., 201 NE 50, will now be stocked with food, school supplies, toiletries and other necessities that a disadvantaged teen might need.

Debra Forshee, president of Youth Services for Oklahoma County, said the pantry will serve as a free store for high school students who are living on their own. Last year, the SKIL program served about 120 students from the Oklahoma City area.

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Related Topics: Education, Elementary and High School Education, High School Education, Nonprofits and NGOs, Youth Organizations



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