Flint Youth Initiative Project to be Announced on Monday

A press conference is scheduled for Monday where U.S. District Judge Mark A. Goldsmith and U.S. Attorney Barbara L. McQuade will announce the launching of the Flint Youth Initiative (FYI) - an innovative project designed to keep young people in Flint on the right side of the law.

The project - conceived by the U.S. District Court and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District if Michigan - will reach out to students at the elementary school level with the goal of instilling the values of good citizenship, personal safety and productive lifestyles. By reaching children at a critically formative age, the project hopes to save as many as possible from the fate of too many Flint children - a life devalued and degraded by drugs and violence.

According to a news release, FYI will consist of two components. A "Lunch Buddy" program will pair up one adult with an individual student for a half-hour lunch period, once a week for a semester. A second component will be presentations to larger groups of students on citizenship, the law and personal safety. FYI will begin as a pilot program in one elementary school with the hopes of expanding it district wide.

Judge Goldsmith said " I firmly believe FYI can have a far reaching consequence for the betterment of our community." U.S. Attorney McQuade added "an important aspect of public safety is prevention. By investing some effort into helping young people make positive choices, we hope we will reap the benefit of a reduction in crime."