By MLK Students Tyrone Johnson and Luke Neet
 
Have you ever imagined starting over? The two of us both have. Growing up we made a lot of bad choices and ended up getting in trouble with the law. If it weren't for our families and friends, we would have been destined for a life on the streets.
 
For the last year and a half or so, we have been on probation because of the mistakes we made. We both attend Youth Services Martin Luther King Jr. Education Center. On March 16th, we had the opportunity to volunteer our services at Project Homeless Connect.
 
Through the MLK Ed Center program, Tyrone participates in the Culinary Arts Program and Luke participates in the Horticulture Program. There is a Technology Program that some youth participate in as well. Youth from all work crews assisted in providing over 2,000 meals at Project Homeless Connect. The two of us, in addition to writing this article, helped with organizing food supplies, preparing food, serving food, and clearing tables. People appreciated the services that we provided, and many of them took the time to thank us personally.
 
We were astounded to see so many young children and their families at the event. It is a disappointing reality of our community, so many people struggling to provide the essential basics. What can we do to make a difference?
 
Over a thousand volunteers gave their time to the cause. Medical care, dental, family resources, and a host of other services were available. Youth at MLK Ed Center donated over 200 hours of community service to this cause. In addition to helping homeless in our community, this opportunity represented the overall mission of the school in preparing youth for future employment opportunities. We both agree that the event was a huge success and very worthy cause because we helped a lot of people in our community.