Newport News has been named a winner in a national competition to identify the 100 Best Communities for Young People.  The 100 Best competition, organized by America’s Promise, honors communities – ranging from small towns to urban neighborhoods across America – for their commitment to providing healthy, safe and caring environments for young people.  Hundreds of communities from all 50 states took part in the competition.  This is the third consecutive time Newport News has been chosen for this national honor.

“The City of Newport News is excited about being named one of America’s 100 Best Communities for Young People for the third consecutive year,” said Mayor Joe S. Frank.  “This award is reflective of our commitment to providing a positive environment for young people in our community and giving them the support and opportunities they need to be successful in school and in life.”

Newport News was selected as one of the 100 Best Communities for Young People because it has made a long-term commitment to comprehensive, community-based efforts that help children and youth develop their interests, talents, and skills and grow up to be healthy, happy and successful. The City has created The Keeping Our Kids Safe Violence Prevention Network (www.keepingourkidssafe.org) is a community-wide effort to develop and implement an array of strategies that insures a violence-free environment for our children at home, in schools, and in our neighborhoods. In existence for just over a year, the Network has secured $1.3 million dollars in grant awards, launched a Targeted Outreach Program to serve youth at-risk for involvement in delinquent behavior, established a mentoring coalition to enhance mentoring programs, formed an After-school Time Alliance to identify and fill gaps in after-school programs and offers a wide range of parenting classes. Additionally, in a collaborative effort between the Peninsula Council for Workforce Development, local businesses, the school system and the City, a Career Café has been established in Patrick Henry Mall that offers a variety of services including job preparation, employment assistance, internship opportunities, career exploration, GED assistance, and job skills training.

All communities that completed entries in the 100 Best competition were required to submit detailed information on existing programs and initiatives that help deliver the Five Promises—resources identified by America’s Promise as being critical to the development of healthy, successful children: caring adults; safe places; healthy start; effective education; and opportunities to help others; to their young people. Applicants were also asked to describe how different sectors of their community come together to deliver the Five Promises and specific efforts and programs developed to ensure that their young people graduate from high school prepared for college and/or the workforce.

For more details about the 100 Best competition and the winners, please visit www.americaspromise.org.