Rice University Begins 'At Risk' Youth Program to Better the Community of Houston

Rice University Begins 'At Risk' Youth Program to Better the Community of
Houston

HOUSTON, Texas, June 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Riki Ellison, Chairman and
Founder of the Youth Impact Program and a three time Super Bowl winner with
the San Francisco 49ers, announced today the inaugural opening of one of the
nation's most innovative "at risk" programs for the community of Houston that
begins at Rice University. The Youth Impact Program (YIP) invests in "at
risk" below the poverty line young boys from 9 to 12 years old in a 5-week
intense program through using Rice University facilities, staff, student
athletes and local elementary teachers. Student athletes participating from
Rice University include Jake Hicks, Chris Jones, Taylor Dupree, Chance
Talbert, Brian Raines, Chris Ptaszek, Ja' Corey Shepherd, Vernon James, Maya
Kirk, Kiri Kendall, Tyler Parish, Denzel Wells and Kara Lawrence.

The program provides food, clothing, transportation, mathematics, language
arts, football, and life skills development to include Anger Management,
Conflict Resolution, Drug Education and permanent mentoring relationships
between the boys and local teachers, staff and student athletes of Rice.

This joint community effort that costs about $1,000 investment in each boy is
changing their lives at a critical formative age which if not changed would
cost the community about $36,000 a year for incarceration costs as the
national statistics show a good portion of urban 'at risk' boys will end up in
prison if not attended to.

The Youth Impact Program at Rice University uses football to attract the young
boys to come in off of the streets in the summer, and it exposes them to the
University and its support structure in their community. Support of the Youth
Impact Program is provided by Rice University, the Houston Texans and the NFL
Youth Football Fund.

It is an integrated partnership between the local community, Rice University,
the municipality of Houston, the Houston Texans and the NFL to make a
difference in the lives of young minority urban at-risk boys that will change
our communities for the better.

The program is a national program that is in its fourth year with additional
sites in Los Angeles, New Orleans and Tampa. The Youth Impact Program has
received a Joint Congressional Resolution for its achievements. The YIP
program runs through the month of July with a year-round program to follow
where the boys will continue to be monitored and mentored on a monthly basis
at Rice University.

For more information on the program contact Riki Ellison, YIP Chairman and
Founder at 703-778-6192 or Mike Terrill at 602-885-1955. The YIP website is
located at www.youthimpactprogram.org

NOTES TO MEDIA:
1. Chuck Pool, SID for Rice University, is at 713-348-5775 and he can help
with interviews and photo opportunities for the YIP program.
2. If you desire an interview with Riki Ellison, the Chairman and Founder of
YIP, call Mike Terrill at 602 885-1955 to arrange.

SOURCE Youth Impact Program

Mike Terrill, +1-602-885-1955, for Youth Impact Program