President Barack Obama Thanks Local Youth

CAMBRIDGE, MD--The Pine Street Committee (PSC) announced February 23, 2010, it had received a letter and pictures from President Barack Obama. The communication from the White House was in response to letters sent to the president by youth who had attended last year's summer Youth Enrichment Program sponsored by the PSC.

With this article is a picture of the youth in the PSC's after school program displaying the letter and pictures sent by President Obama. From the left in front are Zakayra Camper, Rozonda Dotson, Rodney Dotson, and Zionte Safrit. From the left in back are Keshyra McNamara, Kha'Mere Demby, Naesha Purnell, and Khaz'mere Demby.

"The idea of the letter writing was that we wanted the children to discuss the economic troubles that are going on now," said Octavene Saunders of the PSC. She said the letter campaign would hopefully would get "somebody to come to Cambridge or get Cambridge in their eyesight."

It was July 2009 when the young people wrote of some of their concerns about Cambridge which included the need for jobs, keeping children off the streets, meeting the needs of the homeless and reducing drug usage.

Some of the youth who had attended the summer Youth Enrichment Program are now participating in the PSC's two-day-a-week After School Program for which a grant was received from the Governor's Office of Crime Control and Prevention. Portia Johnson-Ennels is the teacher for the program.

The young people plan to express their thanks for the pictures and the letter that President Obama had sent and ask him to keep Cambridge in his mind because it is a distressed area.

President Obama wrote the following to the youth:

Dear students,

Thank you for writing to me at the White House. I am always eager to hear from young Americans like you. Your thoughts on the issues facing our nation are important to me, and your letters helped me as I build a better tomorrow for your generation.

You, too, have a role to play in shaping the future. I encourage you to work hard and dedicate your energy, talents and creativity for improving your community and our country. Through academic achievement and service you can achieve your highest dreams, and you can help others do the same.

Young people like you inspire me and give me great hope for the future. Thank you again for being in touch. The First Lady and I wish you all the best.