Heather Eckels
We have a responsibility as a community to provide our children with opportunites to better themselves and their neighborhoods. Every young person is endowed with special gifts. The Y.E.L.L. program is a gateway for local youth to explore and nurture their individual talents.
"The test of the morality of a society is what it does for its children."
~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Julie Ivory
I am a senior at Penn State Altoona and I am pursuing a degree in Criminal Justice. The YELL program is part of my internship. This is a new and exciting experience for me as well as the Criminal Justice department at Penn State Altoona since the Human Development and Family Studies created this program and invited related majors to join the experience. The YELL program has given me the opportunity to learn how to plan and run a program that targets at risk youth to provide positive influences as well as research the benefits of preventative measures for at risk youth.
Jill Maurer
As the Program Coordinator I am able to help plan and attend YELL events. I thoroughly enjoy working with the local youth. They inspire me to keep working within my own Altoona community. I hope to keep a personal bond with each of the kids even as the program ends.
Lori Stangl
Mother of four daughters 10, 15, 17, and 21 and a Human Development and Family Studies Major at PSU, I became involved in the YELL program because of my passion to empower and educate adolescent children. I want to help them develop meaningful friendships and explore the community that surrounds them.
