Youth Education and Employments Services

De Andre McGee standing in Las Vegas Field Office

Las Vegas HUD Field Office and Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority Partner and Support the 2013 Summer Program

The Director of the Las Vegas Field Office has again partnered for the second (2nd) year with the Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority's Youth Education and Employment Services (Y.E.S.) program. This is an 8 week program intended to allow youth to gain work experience within the Housing Authority. They present them with real work experience, soft skills, leadership skills, and learn the joy of earning an income.

This program was initiated in 2011. It has grown from 50 individuals to 150 participating in 2013. Its goal is to assist in increasing the youth's opportunity for completing high school and moving on to post-secondary education by offering tutoring and other services. This program has since evolved into a complete wrap around services program to provide work experience, supportive services, training and education services. These will lead to either post-secondary education, military, or occupational training and employment.

In June 2012, the Las Vegas HUD office in partnership with the Housing Authority, welcomed De Andre McGee as a participant in this program. De Andre also chose to return to the HUD office in June 2013. He based that on that he felt he had learned lots of information. He wanted to again further his learning with the HUD office staff.

During his time with HUD he has received valuable training on communication skills, leadership abilities, answering phones, how to prepare for meetings and so much more. He has also learned about the resources that HUD offers to the community.

Mr. McGee will begin his senior year in high school this fall at Cimarron Memorial High School in Las Vegas, Nevada. De Andre has his sights on completing his high school education. After high school he desires to attend a 4 year college and major in political science and law.

Also he may consider the United States Air Force as a beginning. No matter what he decides to do, he is determined to accomplish his goals of having a future career in politics. De André McGee himself states, "While working in the Las Vegas HUD office for the past two years he has gained a lot of knowledge about what work force is all about. He quotes "I am grateful for every opportunity that I have received and I plan to give back to my community".

HUD's Las Vegas Field Office Director, Kenneth J. LoBene states, "We feel honored to participate in a program like this, connecting youth to meaningful work experience is extremely important."

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