Bill Harper informed us of the many aspects of the Purdue Athletes Life Success (PALS) program. This program was initiated by President Jischke sixteen years ago. It is a positive youth development program for young people ages 8-14 from families living at or below the poverty line in Tippecanoe County. One important aspect of the program is that it gives the children an alternative to joining a gang. We currently have 46 gangs operating in our county. The program is free to the participants, but the cost averages $625 per person, or a total of $250,000 for all 400+ campers. The major donors to the camp are Purdue Federal Credit Union and the Brees Dream Foundation. Drew Brees has supported this for many years and was able to attend each summer in person until family obligations prevented him. The program runs from June 15th through July 14th, 8 am to 2 pm, with students from TSC, LSC, and WLSC. The schools provide most of the needed bus transportation to and from Purdue campus. Purdue students serve as camp counselors and positive role models for the children. The program includes many activities including a variety of sports, as well as engineering, computer programming, environmental science, financial literacy and career education. The goal of the program is to develop the character traits of Respect, Responsibility, Courage and Caring. Research has shown that participation in the program leads to improved self-image and peer relationships. Some students enroll in the 21st Century Scholars program and go on to college. The PALS program is having a positive impact on these young people in Tippecanoe County.
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