LAS VEGAS, Nev. — At the Historic Westside School on Saturday, local teens and young adults from the 89106 area learned valuable life skills that aren't always taught at home in their community.
“I’m in middle school, 8th grade, and there’s a lot of kids that I know who usually smoke or drink, and they don’t really have an adult influence to help them, so having talks like these really help out," participant Nisa Harrison said.
VIDEO: Alex Eschelman talks to local teen about why they decided to attend youth conference
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and a local non-profit called Al Maun Neighborly Needs helped out in more ways than one at their inaugural youth conference, from teaching critical thinking and study skills to providing clothes for back to school.
“This is one of the most under-resourced communities in the Las Vegas valley," Al Maun Neighborly Needs Program Administrator Trista Miller said. "So we really want to be focused here to let our kids know and our whole community know that we desire to bring the resources in and we understand when we bring them here it makes us all better together.”
Law enforcement also showed they want to be better together by bonding with locals in settings outside of their day jobs.
“I think there are a lot of stereotypes out there in many communities, law enforcement being one of them," LVMPD Sergeant Ryan Rafferty said. "This gives us an opportunity to engage outside of normal police contact, like, 'Hey look, we are people too, we are all a part of the same community, it’s not just what you see on tv.'”
While Saturday's gathering was the first of its kind, it's already leaving a lasting impact.
“Kids who can’t really talk to their parents, they can talk to someone else who can know and trust, and we can all come together as a community," Harrison said. "You know the saying 'It takes a village to raise a kid,' it feels like that.”
This is the first of many conferences to come, and if you'd like more information, head to almaunlv.org.