In the Spring of 2023, recognizing the increased violence among young people and the need for greater positive interventions, we launched Howard County’s Youth Engagement Programming initiative, fondly known as YEP! This transformational program strives to create more opportunities to engage our young people outside of traditional school hours.
Since the launch of the program, more than 10,000 young people have participated through more than 30 programs designed and tailored to support young people. In that first year, we invested more than $1 million to create more than 30 free youth programs in the county through our nonprofit partners.
Our partner organizations offered new, innovative, and expansive programs that support young people, primarily between the ages of 10 and 18, in Howard County. Many of these organizations leveraged community partnerships to expand their reach and impact. YEP! programs include opportunities for mentorship, tutoring, sports programs, environmental education, technology workshops, entrepreneurship, leadership development, and more.
YEP! leverages partnerships with established community organizations that already serve young people. These grants allow community-based organizations to establish or expand programming specifically aimed at young people. For example, our YEP! partnership with Columbia Community Care has helped launch and expand their Persevering Until Success Happens (P.U.S.H.) program. Through this community violence prevention program, young people engage directly with mentors and gain access to access to critical support while building life skills. Another successful partnership with Humanim has expanded opportunities for work-based training, job placement, and internship programs for students and young adults with disabilities in Howard County.
Through YEP!, we also made a commitment to ensuring that our programs reached young people in every corner of Howard County. Our programs spanned many geographic areas, with a majority serving Columbia, Ellicott City, Elkridge, and North Laurel. The YEP! initiative serves diverse age groups, ranging from early childhood education up to high school students, with a majority of programs serving those 10-18 years old. These young people lived through the COVID pandemic during critical points of their development.
Like so many people, including adults, the pandemic posed serious challenges such as trauma, stunted social skills and learning losses. Young people experienced some of the greatest challenges, with unprecedented loss of socialization opportunities due to pandemic-related closures of in-person activities and education during their formative years. At the same time, many children and youth suffered from developmental delays and worsening mental health. According to a recent report published by The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, the pandemic contributed to a wide range of negative social, behavioral, educational, and physical and mental health outcomes. All the while, we have seen decreases in access to organized activities and programs available to young people during these critical years.
Compounding the issue, the cost of after-school, summer and extracurricular activities can be prohibitively high, especially as many programs have failed to reopen since pandemic closures. For young people in low- and moderate-income households, these programs may be out of reach. The YEP! program provides a critical opportunity for these young people to participate in enriching programs they may not otherwise have access to.
Youth programs are essential for children to gain the skills they need to succeed in their education and to navigate the challenges of adulthood. Research on childhood development suggests that community engagement and extracurricular skill-building improve mental and physical health, behavior, and academic outcomes. Accessible learning opportunities are necessary to remedy lasting academic setbacks and disparities affecting children today. Core skills like literacy and math proficiency, as well as confidence in academic performance and grades, improve in students who participate in extracurricular programs.
As a community, it is our responsibility to ensure that our children are prepared for a successful future. Howard County is dedicated to its long-standing commitment to support childhood development through education and youth programs. Organizations participating in YEP! address shared concerns about the young people of our community by preparing them for the challenges they face today and equipping them for a successful future. The YEP! initiative strives to foster teamwork, critical thinking, communication, and other indispensable life skills that these children will carry with them through adulthood.
In 2025, we are continuing our commitment to the YEP! program and our young people by sponsoring another round of free and low-cost programming that is available to young people of all ages. We are partnering with 33 organizations to expand our reach and meet young people where they are.
Our YEP! programs are making a meaningful impact on the lives of our young people. These programs have given young people a safe, nurturing environment to become more confident, gain skills, and be their best selves. Together, we are taking an active approach to ensure that our young people can access opportunities to dream and thrive.
Felix Facchine, Deputy Chief of Staff, contributed to this commentary.
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