Thursday, March 14, 2013

True Love, True Reality Reception


In Reach Raises Awareness about Teen Dating Violence
 

 
 
Hyattsville, MD |  On February 15, 2013, In Reach’s Youth Ambassadors held True Love, True Reality, a Teen Dating Violence Awareness Reception and Program to recognize National Teen Dating Violence Prevention and Awareness Month which included awarding the winners of their first county-wide poetry competition.

Statistics show that nearly 1.5 million high school students nationwide experience abuse from a dating partner in a single year, or roughly 1 in 3 teens.  “The Youth Ambassadors are amazing and have worked really hard to raise awareness about such an important issue. The poetry contest and the reception have allowed us to reach communities throughout Prince George’s County.” said executive director Ms. Toni Smith.

Congratulations again to our True Love, True Reality Poetry Contest winners and Honorable Mentions:

First Place - Justina Molokwu, senior, Parkdale High School, for Broken Cycle of Tears
Second Place - Marie Iyomahan, sophomore, DuVal High School, for Dashuri (Albania for Love)
Third Place - Bethel Babayemi, freshman, Eleanor Roosevelt High School, for The Many Faces of Love

Honorable Mentions - Amber Patton and Maria Lorditch of Bowie High School and Damilola Adeyemi of Largo High School

In addition to the winners, congratulations and thank you to the Parkdale artists who provided the beautiful artwork for the awards: José Lima Rosas, Joshua Newman and Jamilet Cordan.

A special thank you Dr. Judy Dubose, Director of the Prince George’s County Department of Family Services - Children, Youth & Families Division for bringing greetings and Ms. Dannielle Glaros, Chief of Staff, Prince George’s County Council Member Eric Olson’s (D-3) office for presenting the Youth Ambassadors with a Proclamation and making our program a successful and memorable event. We could not have done this without your support. 

In Reach would like to thank all 23 of the Poetry Contestants:

Bowie High School - Maria Lorditch, Amber Patton, Coco N. Terry
Frederick Douglass High School - Noelia Cruz
DuVal High School - Marie Iyomahan
Fairmont Heights High School: Karim Kambo          
High Point High School - Karina Escobar
Largo High School - Damilola Adeyemi, Nnedi Agubokwu
Laurel High School - Cierra Major
Parkdale High School - Christian Bautista, Elvin Cruz, Elmer Hernandez, Deon Magnus, Justina Molokwu, Jissella Urquilla
Potomac High School - Ja’Kwan Craddock
Eleanor Roosevelt High School - Bethel Babayemi
Suitland High School - Gabrielle Durant
Dr. Henry A. Wise Jr., High School - Gilberto Hernandez, Maryam Siddique, Patrice Sykes, Diamond Ward

Read more about the True Love, True Reality Project, view event videos and pictures, download the poetry souvenir book, and sign up for the mailing list on our informative teen dating website, www.truelovetruerealitypgc.inreachinc.org.


The Youth Ambassadors, based at Parkdale High School, offers students a variety of opportunities to become college and career ready, build financial literacy life skills, and engage in meaningful service learning projects, like this one, to address the issues that directly impact them.

Based in Cheverly, MD, In Reach, Inc., is a tax exempt 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization designed to prepare students for college, work and life. Founded in 1999, In Reach envisions healthy, productive and prepared young adults in every family.