May 24, 2018
-Yolanda Holmes, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Arkansas State Program Manager | With Memorial Day around the corner and high school and college students celebrating graduations, we want to help keep this message in the forefront. If you plan on drinking, don’t drive, and if you are under 21, don’t drink. Some good news is Arkansas has seen 27 percent reduction in drunk driving fatalities since the 2009 law requiring ignition interlocks for all convicted offenders went into effect. Unfortunately, 120 people are killed in drunk driving crashes every year. Teen alcohol use kills about 4,700 people each year- that’s more than all illegal drugs combined. Parents can visit www.madd.org to get information on how to start and continue the conversation with their kids about not drinking until the age of 21. They can also, email ar.state@madd.org or call 501-246-8810.
Evangeline Parker-Guest, Founder & Executive Director of Miss Teen Promise | This nonprofit organization is in its 21st year of providing life skills to Arkansas females and scholarship funds for higher education. Rise, Sparkle & Shine with Miss Teen Promise Female Preparatory and enrich the lives of females and support their education goals. Scholarship funds for higher education is provided for the 15-week program for females ages 4-25. Applications are now being accepted. Registration deadline is June 6th. Register online at www.missteenpromise.com. For more information, email info@missteenpromise.com or call 501-353-0009. *Teen Promise, Inc. is a non-profit 501 (c)3 organization with an award-winning history of “Taking Females Out of the Shadows of Promise and into the Spotlight of Success!”
Hugh Leavell, Arkansas National Guard’s Youth Challenge Community Outreach Director and enrollees Zeth Rosell & Fabienne Hill | Arkansas National Guard’s Youth Challenge is currently enrolling. Applications are being accepted to this free military style structured program for youth ages 16-18 who have dropped out or on the verge of dropping out of high school. Youth can earn their Arkansas High School diploma and place yourself into a marketable career. The program environment is based on principles such as self-discipline, teamwork, self-esteem, personal responsibility, ethics, setting personal goals, and service to community. For more information, call 1-800-814-8453 or visit www.aryouthchallenge.org.
