Tepe Park student on Southside Stars Youth Program: 'It changed my life'
Eight-year-old Lilitth Elsa draws a Harry Potter themed picture as she leans on a stack of dictionaries during the Southside Stars afternoon program in Evansville's Tepe Park neighborhood, Thursday, June 27, 2019. The program received $40,000 from the Don Mattingly Foundation to further develop their youth programing. (Photo: SAM OWENS/ COURIER & PRESS)
EVANSVILLE, Ind. — Ten-year-old Faust Elsa said he has gained a lot of confidence since joining Evansville's Southside Stars Youth Zone program six months ago.
After experiencing trouble at school, he began homeschooling and discovered the program.
"It changed my life," he said. "It inspired me to not feel sorry for myself. I was bullied in my last school. Now, I've made a lot of friends here. I like how we get to have fun and do different things."
Faust, along with 16 other students who are involved with Southside Stars, is from the Tepe Park Neighborhood. The youth program is based out of Tepe Park's clubhouse, a green-brick painted home at 1212 S. Garvin St., and was established to support families and children in the neighborhood.
The Southside Stars Youth Zone was created as an initiative in 2018 by the Evansville Promise Zone to fight poverty, educate youth through community support and to help eliminate disparity gaps for children living in the Tepe Park Neighborhood, which borders north of East Riverside Drive, west of South Kentucky Avenue, east of South Garvin Street and south of Washington Avenue.
Students participate in a variety of activities: picking up litter, visiting public libraries, taking field trips, creating art, planting in their community garden located down the street, doing yoga and playing Quidditch in the field next to the clubhouse.
To date, the program has 17 students participating year-round.
On Thursday, the youth program was awarded $40,000 by Mattingly Charities to help expand their student capacity and staff.
Silas Matchem, Sr., executive director of the Evansville Promise Zone, addresses the media about the Southside Stars youth program in Evansville's Tepe Park neighborhood, Thursday afternoon, June 27, 2019. The program received $40,000 from the Don Mattingly Foundation to further develop their youth programing. (Photo: SAM OWENS/ COURIER & PRESS)
EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WFIE) - Thursday was a very special and exciting day for children on the southside.
Mattingly Charities presented a check for $40,000 to the Southside Stars Youth Zone for their initiative within the Evansville Promise Zone.
A lot of Evansville children on the southside spend their time outside of school at places like Tepe Park. What this money is going to do is allow them to continue to learn and grow outside of the classroom.
The Southside Stars Youth Zone is dedicated to making sure children are prepared for college, their careers, and life. It is the only resident-driven youth directive under the Evansville Promise Zone.
Executive Director Silas Matchem says Thursday’s presentation was also a celebration of their success.
“This is a good opportunity to show that the community had an idea, a concept, and worked in the promise zone and other partners to make this happen and we’re happy for this to continue,” says Matchem.
The $40,000 from Mattingly Charities will help SSYZ get a 501-C3 designation, which could lead to additional funding for the children.