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Deborah Brown, City Manager Mary Suhm, AT&T's David Arbuckle and Brooks McCorcle.
Deborah Brown, City Manager Mary Suhm, AT&T's David Arbuckle and Brooks McCorcle.

Teen Centers Opened on June 16

AT&T provides $500,000 grant for 20 new Teen Centers

The money will also create a Literary Camp and Teen Center Arts Incubator

 

The AT&T Foundation has donated $500,000 to the Friends of the Dallas Public Library to be used to open Teen Centers and new programs at 20 additional library locations over the next few months. The Dallas Public Library’s three newest Teen Centers: Skillman Southwestern, Park Forest and North Oak Cliff, were largely sponsored by AT&T.

 

“With this generous grant, AT&T has again demonstrated that they are good corporate citizens, and are committed to making a difference in the lives of our young people,” said Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert.

 

Laurie Evans with State Representative Roberto Alonzo and Mayor Pro Tem Elba Garcia.
Laurie Evans with State Representative Roberto Alonzo and Mayor Pro Tem Elba Garcia.

Teen Centers provide at risk youth with exposure to positive role models in the community and offer special programs on career planning, college admission, and homework help via the Internet.  Teen Center activities include interview training, job fairs, computer training, help with college and scholarship applications, creative writing, public speaking, Web design and arts and crafts.  Library staff as well as academic and professional community residents guide and advise teens throughout these activities.

 

“We commend the great work that the Dallas Public Library is doing through their Teen Centers to give at risk teens the chance to participate in educational and volunteer programs,” said Brooks McCorcle, senior vice president of Investor Relations, AT&T. “Programs like Teen Centers, which are designed to help students excel in high school, are doing their part to cultivate a well-educated workforce, which will help America remain the leader in a digital, global economy.”

 

In addition to the Teen Centers, the AT&T grant will allow the library will implement two new programs: Moving Words Literary Camp @ Dallas Public Library (creative writing workshops for fiction, playwright and poetry) and Teen Center Arts Incubator: Backstage @ Dallas Public Library, for teens interested in exploring literary arts and theater production.

 

“We are so very grateful to AT&T for this generous donation,” said Director of Libraries Laurie Evans. “With this grant we will have Teen Centers at all our branches, providing teens with a safe and constructive place to go, with a variety of recreational and educational activities.” 

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Mayor Tom Leppert, Larry Sall, Bradshaw Award winner Arnold Horsely and Councilmember Dave Neumann.
Mayor Tom Leppert, Larry Sall, Bradshaw Award winner Arnold Horsely and Councilmember Dave Neumann.

Annual Meeting and Luncheon
The Friends Annual Meeting and Luncheon was held on Tuesday, May 19th at the J. Erik Jonsson Cenral Library. Chairman David Kusin welcomed Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert and several City Council Members in attendance. Mayor Leppert recognized Atmos Energy and AT&T for the outstanding support they have given this past year. Special guest Rena Pederson gave an uplifting talk about the change in tehnology which has dramatically increased the materials one can access.

The winners of two annual awards werer Arnold Horsley and Jeanne Miller. Arnold Horsely was named the recipient of The Lillian M. Bradshaw award, given to the library employee who has provided outstanding service. Jeanne Miller received the A.C. Greene Award given to a volunteer that has provided

In a business meeting preceding the luncheon, 10 new board members were elected to the Friends' Board. It was also announced that News Moderator and Author Juim Lehrer will be the featured gusest at the Friends Annual fundraiser to be held on October 21 at the Crescent Hotel. Lehrer is news anchor for The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer on PBS and author of non-fiction and fiction, drawing from his experiences and interests in history and politics.    

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It was with great fanfare that the AT&T Teen Centers opened today with a public ceremony held at the Dallas West Branch Library. The AT&T Foundation donated $500,000 to the Friends of the Dallas Public Library to open Teen Centers and new programs at 20 additional library locations. AT&T had provided funding for three others and found the centers were so valuable that they wanted to provide the additional funding. Now all 26 branch locations have a Teen Center. AT&T chose to fund the grant in a lump sum rather than over a period of two years so that all the centers could open at the same time.  
 
AT&T's Brooks McCorcle commended the work that the Dallas Publi Library does through the Teen Cenrers to give at-risk teens the chance to participate in educational and volunteer projects.

City Manager Mary Suhm introduced Mayor Pro Tem Elba Garcia who was instrumental in working with AT&T to secure the grant. Texas State Representative Roberto Alonzo commended the great work that the Dallas Public Library is doing through their Teen Centers.  
 
 
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