* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:14] WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED. UH, JUST WANNA SAY GOOD MORNING EVERYONE, AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. UH, TODAY WE ARE PROUD TO OFFICIALLY LAUNCH KICK OUT VIOLENCE FOOTBALL. IT'S A YOUTH ENGAGEMENT INITIATIVE RIGHT HERE IN DISTRICT. I, WE ARE USING THE POWER OF SOCCER, FOOTBALL, AND THE EXCITEMENT SURROUNDING THE WORLD CUP TO CREATE SOMETHING MEANINGFUL IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS KICK OUT FOOTBALL, VIOLENCE. FOOTBALL IS MORE THAN JUST A SPORT PROGRAM. IT'S VIOLENCE PREVENTION, MENTORSHIP, YOUTH EMPOWERMENT INITIATIVE DESIGNED TO GIVE YOUNG PEOPLE SAFE, SAFE SPACES, TRUSTED MENTORS, AND A POSITIVE, UH, OPPORTUNITY TO GROW. WE KNOW THAT IN GRANDO PARK AND HERMAN BROWN PARK HAS SEEN SOME CHALLENGES IN THE PAST AND EVEN CURRENTLY WITH GANG ACTIVITY, YOUTH VIOLENCE AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE EXPOSURE. TOO MANY YOUNG PEOPLE ARE VULNERABLE TO NEGATIVE INFLUENCES WHEN THEY LACK THE SYSTEM'S, ACTIVITIES AND OPPORTUNITIES. THIS IS WHY PREVENTION IS IMPORTANT. ON A PERSONAL NOTE, UH, MANY, UH, MIGHT, MIGHT KNOW THAT I USED TO MANAGE YOUTH PROGRAMS OUT OF BAKER RIPLEY, OUT OF FOUR COMMUNITY CENTERS. UM, DOING THAT WORK, IT'S IMPORTANT, UH, FOR ME PERSONALLY, AND THIS IS WHY THIS INITIATIVE OUT OF DISTRICT IOFFICE IS BEING ELEVATED TO THIS LEVEL. THOSE OPPORTUNITIES THAT I WAS ABLE TO WORK WITH YOUNG FOLKS, UH, REALLY GAVE ME AN UNDERSTANDING THAT EXPOSURE TO SOMETHING DIFFERENT, MENTORS THAT THEY MIGHT NOT OTHERWISE HAVE REALLY SET A GOOD PATHWAY FOR YOUNG FOLKS TO SUCCEED. PREVENTION WORKS BEST WHEN WE ENGAGE YOUTH EARLY. EVERY YOUNG PERSON DESERVES GUIDANCE, SUPPORT, AND A CHANCE TO SUCCEED. THIS PROGRAM COMBINES SOCCER PROGRAMMING WITH EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS FOCUSED ON GRANT GANG PREVENTION, SUBSTANCE ABUSE AWARENESS, LIFE SKILLS, DECISION MAKING, AND POSITIVE BEHAVIOR REINFORCEMENT. AND IMPORTANTLY, PARTICIPANTS MUST ATTEND THE EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS BEFORE THEY STEP ONTO THE SOCCER FIELD. THE STRUCTURE ENSURES THAT OUR YOUTH ARE STAYING PHYSICALLY ACTIVE, BUT ALSO GAIN TOOLS THAT CAN HELP THEM MAKE POSITIVE CHOICES. WE ALL UNDERSTAND, ESPECIALLY WITH THE WORLD CUP COMING, THAT SOCCER IS A UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE. WE WERE GONNA HAVE FOLKS COMING IN FROM GERMANY, FROM NETHERLANDS, UH, FROM THE CONGO, SOUTH AMERICA, UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS WORLD SPORT IS SOMETHING THAT FOLKS, UH, YOUNG FOLKS ARE ATTRACTED TO, IS WHY WE DECIDED TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, THIS FOOTBALL LETHAL PROGRAM KICKS OFF. IT TEACHES TEAMWORK, DISCIPLINE, ACCOUNTABILITY, LEADERSHIP, AND UNITY. THOSE ARE THE SAME VALUES WE WANT OUR YOUNG PEOPLE TO CARRY INTO THEIR HOMES, SCHOOLS, AND COMMUNITIES. OVER THE NEXT EIGHT WEEKS, YOUTH AGES 10 TO 17 WILL PARTICIPATE IN WEEKLY WORKSHOPS, SOCCER ACTIVITIES, MENTORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, AND ULTIMATELY A COMMUNITY TOURNAMENT THAT CELEBRATES THEIR GROWTH AND PARTICIPATION. THIS INITIATIVE HAS WAS NOT POSSIBLE WITHOUT STRONG, UH, COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS. AND THAT'S WHY I WANNA TAKE THE PERFECT, UH, OPPORTUNITY TO THANK OUR DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS DIRECTOR, HERB SIMS. WE ALSO WANNA THANK THE PARKS, PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, UH, WHO'S WITH US APPRENTICE, UM, IN, ON, ON INSTEAD OF, UH, IN, IN THE, IN THE, INSTEAD OF DIRECTOR ALLEN. WE WANNA ALSO THANK, UH, THE MILBY HIGH SCHOOL. WE HAVE, UH, PRINCIPAL RUTH PENA, WHO'S HERE WITH US, AND ALSO WE HAVE RENEE GONZALEZ, WHO'S PART OF THE YOUTH, UH, PROGRAMMING OUT THERE AS WELL. I WANNA THANK HIZ POLICE, THE HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT MISSION MILBY, AND THE GREATER EASTERN MANAGEMENT DISTRICT. AND WE'RE HERE AS WELL WITH VERONICA, THE PRESIDENTS OF THE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT AND THE ROOTS SOCCER PROGRAM FOR STEPPING UP AND INVESTING IN OUR YOUTH. BECAUSE NO ONE SINGLE ORGANIZATION CAN SOLVE YOUTH VIOLENCE ALONE. IT TAKES US ALL. IT'S A VILLAGE THAT ULTIMATELY MAKES SURE THAT OUR YOUNG FOLKS HAVE A GOOD, SAFE SPACE TO BE IN. WE ARE COMMITTED TO ALSO COMMITTED TO ACCOUNTABILITY AND MEASURABLE OUTCOMES. THE PROGRAM WILL TRACK ATTENDANCE, PARTICIPATION, EDUCATIONAL PROGRESS, PARENT ENGAGEMENT, AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT TO ENSURE WE ARE CREATING REAL IMPACT IN OUR COMMUNITY. I REALLY WANNA STRESS THE PARENT ENGAGEMENT PART AS WELL. WE CAN INVEST AS MUCH AS WE WANT INTO OUR YOUNG FOLKS, BUT UNTIL OUR PARENTS ALSO JUMP ON THAT TRAIN TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THESE ADULT ROLE MODELS ARE HERE TO SUPPORT THEIR, THEIR KIDS AS WELL. UM, THIS PROGRAM WILL NOT WORK. AND SO PARENT ENGAGEMENT IS A PRIORITY. WHEN WE INVEST IN PREVENTION, WE REDUCE LONG-TERM RISK OF VIOLENCE, GANG RECRUITMENT AND CRIMINAL ACTIVITY. POSITIVE YOUTH ENGAGEMENT REMAINS ONE OF MY STRONGEST PROTECT, UH, PROGRAMMING THAT I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PUSHING OUT OF DISTRICT. I, EVERY YOUNG PERSON DESERVES THE OPPORTUNITY FOR MENTORSHIP AND A SAFE SPACE TO GROW. [00:05:01] AND TOGETHER WE ARE KICKING OUT VIOLENCE. WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO ASK DIRECTOR SIMS IF HE CAN COME UP. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ. GOOD MORNING. UM, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY. I'M HERBERT SIMS, DIRECTOR OF DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS, UM, THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS, ALONG WITH THE OFFICE OF GANG PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION, UM, ARE PROUD TO STAND ALONG WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS AS WE ANNOUNCED THE LAUNCH OF KICKOUT VIOLENCE FUTO, A YOUTH SOCCER AND EDUCATION INITIATIVE. I WOULD BE REMISS NOT TO THANK OUR STAFF, GLENDY GONZALEZ AND TINO CHOPPA FOR LEADING THIS FRONT AND MAKING IT HAPPEN FOR US TODAY. UM, THE INITIATIVE IS A COLLABORATION TO, UM, INSPIRED BY GLOBAL UNITY SEEN THROUGH SOCCER THAT REINFORCES TEAMWORK, DISCIPLINE, AND POSITIVE IDENTITY. SO AS HOUSTON PREPARES TO WELCOME THE WORLD CUP DURING THE 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP, WE WANT AN ENERGY, WANT THE ENERGY OF THE WORLD CUP TO BE FELT, NOT ONLY IN OUR STADIUMS, BUT IN OUR PARKS, OUR SCHOOLS, AND OUR COMMUNITIES. THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT THIS PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO DO. KICKOUT BOLLITO, KICKOUT VIOLENCE BOLLITO IS AN EIGHT WEEK YOUTH ENGAGEMENT AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROGRAM FOR AGES 10 TO 17. BY COMBINING SOCCER WITH EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS, WE ARE CREATING A SAFE SPACE WHERE YOUNG PEOPLE CAN BUILD CONFIDENCE, DEVELOP LIFE SKILLS, AND CONNECT WITH POSITIVE MENTORS AND PEERS. THE PROGRAM WILL OPERATE WEEKLY ON TWO LOCATIONS, RIGHT HERE AT IN GRANDO PARK ON TUESDAYS AND HERMAN BROWN PARK ON THURSDAYS. EACH SESSION WILL BEGIN WITH EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS FOCUSED ON GANG AWARENESS, PREVENTION, SUBSTANCE ABUSE, EDUCATION, DECISION MAKING, LIFE SKILLS, AS WELL AS CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND POSITIVE BEHAVIOR REINFORCEMENT. AFTER WORKSHOPS, YOUTH WILL PARTICIPATE IN ORGANIZED SOCCER ACTIVITIES THAT PROMOTE TEAMWORK, DISCIPLINE, LEADERSHIP, AND ACCOUNTABILITY. PREPARATION, I MEAN, SORRY. PARTICIPATION IN EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT IS A REQUIRED, AS COUNCIL MEMBER SAID BEFORE, STEPPING ONTO THE FIELD. THE BALANCE BETWEEN EDUCATION AND RECREATION IS WHAT MAKES AN INITIATIVE UNIQUE. I WANNA THANK AND RECOGNIZE OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS. AGAIN, MILBY HIGH SCHOOL, HID, POLICE DEPARTMENT, HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT, HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT, HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATIONAL DEPARTMENT, MISSION MILBY, GREATER EASTERN MANAGEMENT DISTRICT ROOTS SOCCER PROGRAM. HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL MEMBER JOAQUIN MARTINEZ, AND THE DISTRICT I OFFICE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WHEN COMMUNITIES INVEST IN EARLY, EARLY IN YOUNG PEOPLE AND PROVIDE MENTORSHIP, CREATE, STRUCTURE, OFFER POSITIVE, ALTERNATIVE LIVES CHANGE. WE ARE NOT WAITING FOR PROBLEMS TO ESCALATE BEFORE ACTING. WE ARE CREATING OPPORTUNITIES NOW, BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS NOW, AND WE ARE GIVING YOUNG PEOPLE SAFE SPACES WHERE WE FEEL SEEN WHAT THEY FEEL SEEN, HEARD AND EMPOWERED. TODAY, WE'RE PROUD TO STAND WITH FAMILIES, SCHOOLS, PUBLIC AGENCIES, AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO WORK TOGETHER TO STRENGTHEN COMMUNITIES, KICK OUT VIOLENCE, UM, PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND UNITY. AND AS COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ SAID, I'M ALSO A PRODUCT OF THE FIELD. I WAS A COUNSELOR AT ANTI-GAY FOR MANY YEARS, OVER 10 YEARS, AND I WORKED THERE FOR 16 YEARS. SO YOUTH ENGAGEMENT, YOUTH VIOLENCE REDUCTION IS SO CLOSE TO MY HEART. AND WE AT THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS ARE A PART OF TRYING TO HELP OUR COMMUNITIES BECOME SAFE AND INCREASE THEIR, UM, QUALITY OF LIFE. SO AS WE MOVE FORWARD, I WANNA THANK, UM, THANK YOU AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING TOGETHER AND MAKE THIS INITIATIVE A SUCCESS FOR HOUSTON YOUTH AND FAMILIES. AND I WOULD NOW LIKE TO INVITE PRENTICE COLLINS FROM THE HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATIONAL DEPARTMENT TO SAY A FEW WORDS. THANK YOU, DIRECTOR SIMS. UH, THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ. CAN WE GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE, PLEASE? AGAIN, EVERY TIME I GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO STAND WITH, UH, COMMUNITY PARTNERS, THE WORD PARTNERSHIP KIND OF FLIES OUT. IT KIND OF BECOMES FAMILY TO ME. IT BECOMES COLLECTIVE IMPACT. IT BECOMES, WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER TO REALLY DO SOMETHING GREAT. I'M NOT GONNA STAND BEFORE YOU LONG AND, AND GIVE YOU THIS, THIS, THIS SPEECH ABOUT WHAT WE NEED TO DO. WE ALREADY KNOW WHAT WE NEED TO DO. THE COUNCIL MEMBER AND HIS TEAM AND THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS HAS CALLED UPON US TO DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO. AND IT'S THREE THINGS. ONE OF THEM IS SAFETY, KICKING OUT VIOLENCE. ONE OF THE MAYOR'S TOP PRIORITIES, HIS NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IS PUBLIC SAFETY. WHERE IS IS THE BEST PLACE TO FEEL SAFE, SECURE THAN YOUR COMMUNITY PARK? WHEN I WAS A KID, MY PARK WAS MY REFUGE. IT WAS MY SERENITY. IT WAS THE PLACE THAT I WAS ABLE TO GET AWAY FROM EVERYTHING AND JUST BE MYSELF. IT WAS OPPORTUNITIES THAT EXPANDED MY EXPECTATIONS. [00:10:01] BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WAS I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER AND DIRECTOR SIM SAID, STUDENT ATHLETE EDUCATION COMES FIRST. BEFORE YOU GET ON THE FIELD, WE GOTTA TEACH YOU SOME THINGS. WE WANT TO EMPOWER YOU. WE WANT TO INVEST WITH INVEST IN YOU BECAUSE EDUCATION IS GOING TO OFFER OPPORTUNITIES THAT EXPAND FAR THAN YOUR EXPECTATIONS. SOCCER IS JUST THE BEGINNING. THE NEXT PIECE, THE MENTAL HEALTH. OUR KIDS TODAY ARE STRUGGLING AND WE WANT TO BE THERE FOR 'EM. WE WANT TO GIVE THEM AN OUTLET TO TALK TO. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT I REMEMBER MY COACH FROM HIGH SCHOOL DIRECTOR SIMS, AND I WAS TALKING ABOUT MAN AGES, GRADES 10 TO TO TO 12, AND AGES 10 TO 17. HE'S LIKE, MAN, WE JUST DID, WE JUST MISS IT. DID IT JUST FLY BY? AND AS I'M SITTING THERE LISTENING, I'M THINKING ABOUT COACH PRICE AND, AND COACH MANNING. AND COACH THIBODAUX, THE PEOPLE THAT IMPACTED MY LIFE AND BUILT LONG LIFE RELATIONSHIPS WITH JUST TO GIVE ME THE PEACE OF MIND OF WHO I AM TODAY. THE HOUSTON PARKS DEPARTMENT IS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING QUALITY OF LIFE, A SAFE ENVIRONMENT, AND MOST IMPORTANT LONG LIFE RELATIONSHIPS. THIS IS YOUR PARK, THIS IS YOUR COMMUNITY CENTER. MAKE IT THE BEST. THOSE THAT COME IN TO PLAY AND PARTICIPATE, LET 'EM KNOW WHAT YOU'RE STANDING FOR. THAT WE'RE GONNA KICK OUT VIOLENCE, WE'RE GONNA BE SOMEBODY, WE'RE GONNA HAVE OPPORTUNITIES THAT CREATE SUCCESS AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, THAT EXPAND MY EXPECTATIONS. HOUSTON PARKS DEPARTMENT THANKS YOU IN ALLOWING US TO BE A PART OF THIS GREAT COLLABORATION. AND WE CANNOT DO IT WITHOUT AMAZING PARTNERSHIPS. SO AGAIN, TO ALL OF THE PARTNERS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ AND DI, UH, DIRECTOR SIMS, DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS, WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME AND BE A PART OF SOMETHING BIG. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU MR. COLLINS. WE'RE GONNA OPEN IT UP FOR SOME QUESTIONS, BUT BEFORE I DO, I WANNA DEFINITELY GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO HOUSTON DASH AND DYNAMO, JESSICA O'NEILL, WHO'S HERE WITH US AS WELL. AGAIN, UH, THESE TYPES OF PARTNERSHIPS, THEY HAVE TO HAPPEN, UH, HOLISTICALLY. EVERYONE NEEDS TO BE AT THE TABLE. SO FROM THE STUDENTS, THE TEACHERS, THE PARENTS, COMMUNITY PARTNERS, THOSE THAT ARE CORPORATE PARTNERS AS WELL. UH, JUST WANNA SAY, UH, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND AGAIN, WE'LL OPEN IT UP FOR ANY QUESTIONS, UH, THAT ANYBODY MIGHT HAVE. SOUNDS LIKE WE ANSWERED ALL THE QUESTIONS. YES, GO AHEAD. WITH THE, WITH THE PROGRAM THAT ARE ATHLETIC, THEY JUST COME IN THE AFTERNOON OR MORNING COURSE, YOU GET THE SOCIAL AND ALL THAT. SO WHAT I WOULD, UM, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND GIVE THAT UP TO THE DIRECTOR, BUT I DO WANNA ALSO, UM, SHARE THAT. LOOK, NOT EVERYBODY IS GONNA BE ATHLETICALLY, UH, INCLINED TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS, BUT WE ALSO WANT TO CHALLENGE FOLKS TO BE ABLE TO BE OUTSIDE, HAVE A HEALTHY, UH, EXPERIENCE DURING THE SUMMER. SO, UM, I, YOU KNOW, WE ARE NOT EXPECTING TO CREATE PROFESSIONALS, BUT WE DO WANT YOUNG FOLKS TO UNDERSTAND TEAMWORK, TEAM BUILDING, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? AND SO EVERY ASPECT OF THE PROGRAM IS IMPORTANT. UM, WE DO WANNA MEET THEM WHERE THEY'RE AT AS WELL. SO THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THE TEAM, THE TEAM BUILDING SKILLS, THE WORKSHOPS, UM, ARE HOPEFULLY WILL HELP BUILD SOME OF THAT CONFIDENCE THAT THEY NEED TO BE ON THE FIELD AS WELL. YEAH, I DON'T THINK WE'RE TURNING ANY YOUTH AWAY. UM, IF THEY WANT TO COME PARTICIPATE IN THAT PORTION, GREAT. AND IT MAY ENCOURAGE THEM TO STAY FOR THE SOCCER. SO YES, WE'RE NOT TURNING ANY YOUTH AWAY. THEY'RE MORE THAN WELCOME. THANK YOU. AND IT'S SIX TO 8:00 PM THE PROGRAMMING, UM, VIOLENCE. [00:15:27] PERFECT. SO WE HAVE, UH, SO WE'LL TAKE SOME TIME AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HIGHLIGHT SOME OF OUR YOUNG FOLKS THAT ARE HERE. I WANT 'EM TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES AND THEN HOW LONG THEY'VE BEEN PLAYING SOCCER, AND THEN WHERE THEY SEE THEMSELVES IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS. PRIMERO, JOAQUIN JO. SO HOW LONG, HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN PLAYING SOCCER AND THEN WHAT DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN A COUPLE YEARS GAME? HI, UH, I'M JOAQUIN. I'M A MOVIE STUDENT ATHLETE. I'M A SOPHOMORE. UM, I'VE BEEN PLAYING SOCCER SINCE I WAS EIGHT, SO SEVEN YEARS OR EIGHT YEARS. UM, AND SORRY, WHAT WAS THE SECOND QUESTION? AND THEN WHAT DO YOU SEE YOURSELF? OH, IN A COUPLE OF YEARS I SEE MYSELF GOING TO COLLEGE AND TRYING TO FIND OUT WHAT EXCITES ME IN MY LIFE AND HOW I CAN BUILD, BUILD A CAREER AND HAVE A FAMILY AROUND THAT. THANK YOU. THIS, UM, UM, GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME'S RA MARTINEZ AND I'VE ACTUALLY BEEN PLAYING SOCCER FOR ONLY TWO YEARS. UM, I USED TO PLAY BASEBALL LIKE JOAQUIN AND, UM, AROUND THE 2022 WORLD CUP, I ACTUALLY GOT INSPIRED TO PLAY SOCCER AND, AND I'M GLAD IT DID 'CAUSE IT BROUGHT ME ALL THESE FRIENDSHIPS AND IT INTRODUCED ME TO NEW PEOPLE. AND YEAH, HOPEFULLY THIS WORLD CUP DOES THE SAME EFFECT ON MANY OTHER KIDS, LIKE IT DID ON ME. AND, UM, IN, WHAT DO YOU SAY YOURSELF? IN A COUPLE YEARS. IN A COUPLE YEARS. UM, WELL I'LL, HOPEFULLY I'LL BE MAKING MY WAY TO COLLEGE AND I'LL, I'LL TRY AND STUDY ENGINEERING AND SEE WHERE I GO FROM THAT. AWESOME. I'M TRYING TO SEE IF I COULD, CAN EVERYONE HEAR ME OR DO I NEED THE MICROPHONE? NEED THE MICROPHONE. ALRIGHT. I TRY TO TRY. MY NAME IS IVAN LAREDO. UM, AS YOU COULD TELL, I TRIED SPEAKING WITH THE MIC 'CAUSE YOU KNOW, I WANNA BE LIKE A SOCIAL PERSON WHO SPEAKS OUT LOUD AND ALL OF THIS AND THAT , BUT IT DIDN'T WORK OUT AND IT'S ALL RIGHT IF GOOD THINGS WORK OUT AND, BUT HERE I AM WITH THE MIC. OKAY. YEAH. MY NAME IS IVAN LORETO AND I'M A SOPHOMORE. AND ACTUALLY I'M GONNA TALK A LITTLE ABOUT MY FRIEND RIGHT HERE. HE GOT INSPIRED IN THE 2022 WORLD CUP, RIGHT? AND I WAS THERE WITH HIM AND IT'S LIKE FASCINATING TO SEE HIM LIKE GROW AS A PLAYER TOO AND AS A PERSON. 'CAUSE I'VE BEEN WITH HIM SINCE SEVENTH GRADE SINCE THE WORLD CUP . UM, BUT ME, I'VE BEEN PLAYING SINCE I WAS NINE AND I'VE BEEN, I HAVEN'T STOPPED PLAYING AT ALL. 'CAUSE, UM, THANK, THANKS TO GOD I HAVEN'T GOTTEN INJURIES OR ANY SEVERE INJURIES THAT HAS STOPPED ME FROM PLAYING. SO I'VE BEEN PLAYING FOR SEVEN YEARS STRAIGHT. AND IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT TAKES MY MIND OFF A LOT OF THINGS. AND THAT HELPS ME, UM, BECOME BETTER AS A PERSON, YOU KNOW. UM, THEY ALSO, A QUESTION ALSO ASKED, HOW DO I SEE MY, WHERE DO I SEE MYSELF IN A COUPLE YEARS AND WELL, IN COLLEGE, THAT'S THE MAIN THING EVERYONE WANTS TO BE IN. AND I WANT TO BE IN THERE TOO. 'CAUSE STUDENT ATHLETE, STUDENT COMES FIRST. AND RIGHT NOW I'M, I'M TALKING A LOT. YEAH. BUT , UH, I HAVE THE FLOOR, I HAVE THE MIC AND IT SAW ME. . OKAY. . SO I'M A SOPHOMORE GOING INTO MY JUNIOR YEAR AND I INSPIRED MY BROTHER WHO WAS A MILBY GRADUATE AND TORIAN, HE WATCHING HIM INSPIRED ME, BECOME, UM, LIKE, UH, DECORATED STUDENT ATHLETE WITH CHORDS AND ALL THIS. AND I SEE RE RENEE RIGHT HERE AND I WANNA JOIN RASA. SO , THAT'S ONE HERE. I, I, IT'S OKAY. SO THE LAST QUESTION. WHAT DO I WANNA SEE? MY COUPLE YEAR COLLEGE? AND FOR EITHER I WANT TO GO AT LEAST FOR SOCCER SCHOLARSHIP OR CROSS COUNTRY. 'CAUSE I ENJOY RUNNING A LOT. SO LET'S SEE HOW THAT GOES. AND I WILL GIVE HIM ALL, THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING, . THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD JOB, BOBBY. AHEAD. YOUR NAME, UH, HOW LONG YOU'VE BEEN PLAYING SOCCER AND WHAT DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN A COUPLE YEARS? UH, MY NAME IS ISMAEL PEREZ. UH, MY NAME IS ISMAEL PEREZ. I'M A, I'M A JUNIOR RIGHT NOW, SO I'VE BEEN PLAYING SOCCER FOR AT LEAST TWO YEARS. WHAT INSPIRED ME TO PLAY SOCCER WAS HEARING SO MUCH GREAT STUFF FROM MY, MY BROTHER THAT USED TO PLAY SOCCER AS HE ALSO GRADUATED FROM MILBY LIKE [00:20:01] 10 YEARS AGO. AND, UM, THERE YOU GO. YEAH. WELL, AS AN UPCOMING SENIOR, I HAVE REALLY, I HAVE A LOT OF GOALS AS I'M CURRENTLY STUDYING FOR WELDING AS I WANNA WORK AS A WELDER AS SOON AS I GRADUATE OUTTA HIGH SCHOOL. IF NOT, IF I COULD GO TO COLLEGE, WELL, I WOULD STUDY BUSINESS AND AS SOMEONE WHO ALSO COULD ALSO GO TO COLLEGE FOR CROSS COUNTRY, I HAVE A GOAL FOR NEXT YEAR AS IT'S MY SECOND YEAR RUNNING CROSS COUNTRY AND I WANNA GO FOR REGIONALS THIS YEAR. AND YEAH, THAT'S IT. JOB. MY NAME, NAME, HOW LONG YOU BEEN PLAYING SOCCER. AND THEN, UM, WHAT DO YOU, WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN A COUPLE YEARS? UH, MY NAME IS, MY NAME IS JO LOW AND I WAS, I PLAYED SOCCER SINCE I WAS THREE YEARS. THREE YEARS. YEAH. I SEEN MY, MY LIFE LIKE, LIKE SAY, UH, I WAS, YEAH, THAT'S IT. OKAY. MARTINEZ FOOTBALL. SO WE'RE GONNA CLOSE THE, THE, THE PRESS CONFERENCE, BUT I JUST WANT TO END ON THIS NOTE. THESE ARE YOUNG INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE, HAVE A PATHWAY THAT NEEDS SUPPORT THIS PROGRAM ALONG WITH SEVERAL OTHER, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S ADULT ROLE MODELS, THE PARTNERS, COMMUNITY PARTNERS THAT ARE HERE. WE CANNOT DO THIS ALONE. AND REALLY, YOU JUST HEARD FROM OUR FUTURE, WHAT IS IT THAT THEY WANT TO DO, WHAT DO THEY WANNA ACCOMPLISH? AND IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY THAT WE PROVIDE THAT PATHWAY TO THEM. SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE, UH, CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES AT THE END OF JULY. UH, HOPEFULLY Y'ALL CAN COME OUT TO SOME OF THE GAMES. WE'LL SHARE THE SCHEDULE WITH YOU ALL AS WELL. THANK YOU. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.