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Smithfield commits to Colin Powell's 'Promise' program By
Katherine
Romney
With the help of the Smithfield Promise and Mayor Kent Ward, the youth the community could soon be smarter, healthier and better prepared to take on challenges in life. Suzanne Byington has organized a 10-member committee of residents who are dedicated to helping 100 youth succeed with the Smithfield Promise by the year 2002. The promise is to ensure that the youth have access to the five goals of The American Promise. They are to have an ongoing relationship with a caring adult; safe places and structured activities during non-school hours; a healthy start for a healthy future; marketable and career skills through effective dedication and literacy; and an opportunity to give back through service. These five goals are to be completed by the youth with the help of the committee members by the year 2002. Colin Powell, the new secretary of state, started the American Promise in 1997. He gave it the symbol of the red wagon, and Smithfield has now chosen to use the same. Now three years after Gov. Mike Leavitt committed to the Utah Promise, Smithfield has decided to start a promise of its own. Leavitt is one of 100 governors who support Powell and the American Promise. All of the committee members are all volunteers and the program will need funding. Smithfield City Council members said they hope to receive grants from the state to help fund this program, which has been widely accepted across the nation. The Smithfield Promise is a positive program to bring to this community, said Ward. He said he hope that the committee members will be dedicated to making it work. Each of the five goals will have a leader who has promised to stick with this program, said Jeffrey Gittins a member of the City Council. The committee members are: Dorsse Severe, Janet Beck, Johnny McCoy, Ken Chalmers, Robert Buckley, Brett Daniels, Karen Anderson, Kris Monson, Ward and Byington. Byington said several of the members are already working with existing city youth programs. This experience in working with youth will give the children great leaders to look up to and follow, said Byington. The committee, under the direction of Ward, will meet quarterly to discuss the progress of the children in each of the groups. The mayor said he believes the program will be a big success if the community promotes it well and the committee stays focused on their progress.
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