Plano
West Junior Wins Texas
Spirit of Community Award
April 25, 2006
 Kyle
Freas, a junior at Plano West Senior High School, was recognized
at the La Cima Club in Los Colinas on April 3 for being one
of 10 students in the state of Texas to receive a distinguished
finalist award for his impressive community service activities
by the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards.
The
awards program, now in its 11th year, is conducted by Prudential
Financial, Inc. in partnership with the National Association of
Secondary School Principals. He has received a bronze medallion
and was awarded the Presidential Volunteer Service Award.
Nearly
8,000 local honorees were then reviewed by state-level
judges, who selected finalists based on criteria such as personal
initiative, creativity, effort, impact and personal growth.
Plano Youth Together
Kyle's goal with his "Plano Youth Together" organization has
been to teach other youth about the value of community service.
"While
many
students
of today
do
service hours for their resumes for college, I wanted to utilize
younger
children in elementary and middle schools," he said.
Getting Started
Kyle started Plano Youth
Together to work with student councils, STOP (Students Thinking
of Other People) programs and PAL (Peer Assistance and Leadership)
programs to help youth
in
their
neighborhoods. The first organization he contacted was the Children's
Advocacy
Center,
which works with
abused children.
"Our goal is to utilize children of all ages, all races
and even special needs children in community service," said
Kyle. "The programs that 'Plano Youth Together' provide
not only touch abused,
homeless,
and critically ill children, they teach children across North
Texas about community service."
Kyle was successful in recruiting five business leaders from
across the country to support his efforts.
He was
awarded
a grant from Youth Venture.
"We offered six different projects
and ran those in Plano, Murphy, Dallas, Carrollton, Richardson
and Allen," he said. These include:
- "Operation Backpack" -
Children's Advocacy Center
- "Plano Pals" for Samaritan Inn (homeless shelter)
- "Operation Paws" for Operation
Kindness
- "Kids Wish for Kids" - Make a Wish
Foundation of North Texas
- "Kids Flicks and Games"
and "Grin and Bear
It"
- Plano Presbyterian Hospital
Getting Kids Involved
Although projects
are in elementary and middle schools, high school students
make gift bags and help deliver donations. "We have worked with
45 schools in the North Texas area and made $60,000 for these
organizations," Kyle said. "Over spring break, we had 97 youth
volunteers call and want to do service hours.
"The most exciting
thing about 'Plano Youth Together' is seeing kids excited about
helping other kids."
The way Kyle likes the projects to work is that
each child gets personally involved in
the project. He tries to get each one involved with the program
in some way by receiving something back, whether it is a note
or a gift bag.
"I think that not only do they feel good about something;
they get something back that cements in their minds that they
did something good. I am hoping that down the road this will
make them want to help other people."
Kyle said that his main goal now is to get
a grant program started in the area through which students
can receive grants to start their own community service projects.
"If anyone knows of companies that would be willing to help
me set up this program, I would truly appreciate it. I will be
continuing "Plano Youth Together" in 2006-2007, so that more
schools will have the chance to get involved."
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