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“From age eleven to twelve, I was a menace to society. The police knew who I was just by my walk. The people I was around had me doing things that could have gotten me locked away– from fighting with people in the neighborhood to running from the police.”

Dyrell Minor, winner of the 2012 Ray Woods Youth Award can tell you about the dangerous path he was on, as well as the positive direction he found as a teen at Neighborhood House:

“When I was twelve I enrolled at Neighborhood House of Milwaukee, and ever since then I have been on a mission to do whatever I put my mind to. I have been involved with Open Mic Night, Family Fun Night, skate parties, community clean-ups, and the Haunted House. I learned to respect people, my vocabulary is getting a little better, I am involved with my community more, and I am more creative then I have ever been. All of these activities I never knew could benefit my life. The cool staff makes sure everyone is involved and participates. They help you get jobs, write a resume, get volunteer hours, and keep you headed in the right direction by any means necessary: home visits, stopping at school, even Facebook. Now more than ever, I am prepared for my adult years.”

Scholarships from the lawfirm of  Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren, and Northshore Bank will help Dyrell get started in college next year.

Congratulations, Dyrell, from the staff and supporters of Neighborhood House! We wish you all the best in college and beyond.

For more information about programming and enrollment contact  Teen Program Supervisor James Austin at (414) 933-6161, ext. 137.