LOUISIANA CENTER FOR HEALTH EQUITY TO PRESENT ANNUAL FUNDRAISER, PLANS TO EXPAND YOUTH PEACE OLYMPICS
BATON ROUGE (September 19, 2017) — The Louisiana Center for Health Equity (LCHE) is set to present Light Up the Night for a Brighter Future, its annual fundraiser from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, October 7 at the BREC Jefferson Highway Park, located at 8133 Jefferson Highway in Baton Rouge. Mayor Sharon Weston Broome will host the event, which will benefit LCHE’s Youth Peace Olympics (YPO). The YPO program is designed to engage youth in activities that encourage peace and nonviolence.
The Youth Peace Olympics, which runs in Baton Rouge from April through September, provides students with an opportunity to participate in community activities, sports and recreational programming, and positive interaction with law enforcement officials. The program is LCHE’s signature violence prevention program. Since its inception in 2014, over 200 youth have completed the YPO. The program began in the Gardere/South Burbank neighborhoods. The goal of the fundraiser is to expand the model and serve more youth.
“We are excited about the opportunity to expand this proven program in other areas of Baton Rouge,” said Alma Stewart, founder and president of the Louisiana Center for Health Equity. “Violence is a serious problem, and in communities like Baton Rouge, we have seen a notable increase in the number of acts of senseless violence. Our goal is to be a part of the solution, and we have seen significant evidence in the past four years that tells us this program is working. That’s why we’re going to expand it, eventually reaching across the state.”
LCHE is also announcing the winners of the 2017 Youth Peace Olympics that ended in September. The winners are:
Jabori Peters – Gold Medal Winner
Jabori is the 11-year-old son of Corlinda Peters and Paul Nero. He attends Westdale Middle School. He is interested in playing video games. His educational goals are to get an A in every class. He plans to be a scientist. Jabori says, “YPO helped me learn that peace is the answer.”
Jahmad Peters – Silver Medal Winner
Jahmad is the 16-year-old son of Corlinda Peters and Paul Nero. He attends Lee Magnet High School. He is interested gaming, drawing, sports, watching television, movies, and spending money. He plans to graduate from high school in 2019. His career goal is to become a graphic designer and to create games, and come up with logos on shirts and to come up with his own designs. Jahmad says, “YPO has affected me by showing me great skills and how to make and manage money, interact with others, how to be successful, and excel at anything I want to do or be.”
Johnathan Johnson – Bronze Medal Winner
Johnathan is the 14-year-old son of Jerica Johnson. He attends McKinley Senior High School. His interests are basketball, video games, collecting crazy socks and dirt bikes. His goal is to become an NBA player. He plans to be the best in his career, meaning most points, most rings, and everything. Johnathan says, “YPO has allowed me to become a better person by avoiding conflicts and to value life even more.”
Jenesis Stewart – Olympic Spirit Winner
Jenesis is the 13-year-old daughter of Renada and Bruce Stewart. She attends McKinley Middle Magnet School. Her interests are dancing, track, and watching YouTube. Her educational goals are to go to high school and to college. She plans to run in the Olympics. Jenesis says, “YPO has shown me sportsmanship that I can take and use in my sports.”
“We are so proud of these young people,” said Stewart. They will be recognized for their accomplishments at the Light Up the Night for a Brighter Future on October 7.
About the Louisiana Center for Health Equity
The Louisiana Center for Health Equity (LCHE) is a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) public charity non-profit organization established in January 2010. LCHE’s purpose is to promote better health outcomes for Louisiana residents who face significant barriers to being healthy with a focus on wellness and community health.
DENOR Brands + Public Relations is a public relations, marketing and brand strategy firm in Tennessee, Louisiana and beyond. The agency specializes in developing communication strategies that influence public policy, programs, and partnerships in the education, nonprofit, and small business sectors.
