Filling the Gap
Pride Academy Kids, volunteers pack food boxes for those in need
TEXARKANA, Ark.— Pride Academy may have looked a bit different this year, but the annual event still went on.
“These teens up here in the red shirts said they didn’t want to let things stop us. They still wanted to do a community project,” said Texarkana, Arkansas Police
Sgt. Kristi Bennett,.
P.R.I.D.E (Personal Responsibility in Daily Efforts) is typically a five-day camp for about 100 entering sixth graders at College Hill Middle School that provides tools and education for students to make positive life choices. The PRIDE Academy places police officers as coaches along with other instructors and health care professionals.
The students are taught decision-making skills, coping techniques, enhanced self-esteem, and anger management. Each year, the students complete at least two community service projects such as cleaning up local parks and packaging food at the local food bank.
This year the group of youth was smaller and the event was held in conjunction with Crossties Special Events Venue in downtown Texarkana.
The teens from Pride Academy, along with a number of community volunteers, spent Wednesday afternoon boxing up food to feed people in the community that need the help and assistance.
The volunteers were divided into teams.
Taylor Wilkerson, 18, a recent Arkansas High School graduate was on a team of five Pride Academy kids.
“It’s been very different this year but it’s been fun. We’ve been talking about things and getting to know each other better,” Wilkerson said.
The teams were competing to see who could pack their food boxes the fastest. There is also a competition going on for the most meals boxed in two hours in the state of Arkansas.
“We are going to break that record for 2020. We are going to smash it today,” Bennett said.
Bennett thanked the volunteers who showed up to help pack the food boxes.
“We have had an amazing group of volunteers. It takes a village to raise these kids and help the community,” she said.
Les Munn and his wife Allison own Crossties along with Joe Gay and Justin Jones.
“The Pride Academy needed a larger location this year and we were happy to help,” Les Munn said.
Munn is also a TAPD Officer.