Prospect Heights summer youth program closes with trip to Chicago

The Prospect Heights Police 2019 Summer Youth Outreach Program came to a close on Thursday, Aug. 8, with the final trip to Navy Pier.

Prospect Heights police officers, city employees and volunteers accompanied around 85 youth to the Children's Museum on Navy Pier. This was the last of several trips which also included trips to Camp Duncan in Ingleside, the Chicago Fire Stadium in Bridgeview, Brookfield Zoo and a bike ride through Prospect Heights. This year over 120 children signed up for the program and organizers plan to continue growing the program to reach as many underprivileged families as possible.

The Youth Outreach Program was started by the Prospect Heights Police Association and continues to grow with the help of local organizations and businesses. The goal is to increase community awareness, good relations and to provide opportunities for the youth in underprivileged areas of Prospect Heights. Programs such as these offer a great way to engage young people and to shield them from dangerous influences such as gangs, drugs and alcohol. Throughout these trips, these children learn leadership skills, teamwork, communication and other essentials to their young lives. Since the inception in 2006, the Prospect Heights Police Association has since been joined by the Prospect Heights Fire District, Indian Trails Public Library, and the Prospect Heights Park District who all share in reaching out to our community.

The Summer 2019 Outreach Program was made possible by the financial support of the Prospect Heights Police Association, Indian Trails Public Library, Mount Prospect/Prospect Heights Rotary Club, Prospect Heights Lions Club, Safeway Transportation and individual donations. Other support was provided by the City of Prospect Heights, Prospect Heights Fire District, Harper College Learning and Career Center, Chicago Fire Soccer Club, Village Cycle Sport and Bill Stasek Chevrolet.

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