'Together We Stand' youth program set for Hillside High School tonight

BY LAURA COLLINS : The Herald-Sun
lcollins@heraldsun.com
Feb 20, 2009

DURHAM -- Area youths and adults are encouraged to attend the "Together We Stand" symposium tonight.

The event is presented by M-Powerhouse of the Triangle, a nonprofit organization seeking to unite communities and address the needs of youth.

The symposium is from 5:30-9 p.m. tonight at Hillside High School and will be a combination of entertainment, discussion and education.

Guest performers include Christopher "Play" Martin -- formerly of Kid N' Play -- The Prometheus Bound Poets, Hillside High School Dance Troupe and the Hillside High School Jazz Ensemble. Other nonprofit organizations will also be available at the event.

"I believe that by bringing all these supporters together it gives them an opportunity to know the youth and find viable and nontraditional ways to help youth," said M-Powerhouse co-founder Terry Smith.

Topics of discussion at the symposium include: violence prevention, peer pressure, HIV/AIDS, basic financial management, the importance of graduating from high school and pursuing education.

"The most important thing to remember is that our job is to unite communities and address, address education and economics and how it impacts youth violence," he said. "We're also trying to increase their knowledge of health care."

Smith said not only the discussions, but also the entertainment, including skits, plays and stories, will encourage the students to think critically.

"It's about mirror emulating. When you see success, you create a domino effect," he said. "These people are stressing the importance of education and their skits and challenging young people."

Smith said they also hope to reiterate the importance of volunteering.

"The symposium is one month after the inauguration of our president, and he stresses the importance of community service. It's easy for all of us to talk about it, but we need to be about," he said.

© 2009 by The Durham Herald Company. All rights reserved.