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UTPA ATHLETICS WILL AID EVINS REGIONAL JUVENILE CENTER EDINBURG, TX-The University of Texas-Pan American's athletic department has agreed to form a partnership with the Evins Regional Juvenile Center. The partnership will involve student-athletes from Texas-Pan American assisting at the center, which is located at 3801 East Monte Cristo Drive in Edinburg, and is a Texas Youth Commission facility for those who have been found to have engaged in delinquent conduct. The Evins Center is a 240-bed facility serving a male population that is typically between the ages of 15 and 20. Residents have been sent to the ERJC by a juvenile court. "This will open up a new avenue of help for our kids," said Raul Arredondo, Jr; Community Relations Coordinator for the Evins Regional Youth Center. "Volunteers from the athletic program are exactly what we're looking for. They are good role models who can have a positive effect on our youth. We are looking for mentors who can meet with kids and, hopefully, have a positive impact on their lives, since we know that mentoring does work. We can also use tutors, since many of our kids are below their normal educational level, but once they learn the basics, they progress very rapidly. Our program is called re-socialization for kids who made the wrong choices because they were socialized negatively. We try to help them make positive choices." "At The University of Texas-Pan American, our athletic program remains committed to the concept of community involvement and service," said UTPA Director of Athletics William J. Weidner. "This partnership with the Evins Regional Juvenile Center will provide our student-athletes with an opportunity to serve as positive role models for the youth of the center through the center's monitoring and tutoring programs. It is our hope that the involvement of our student-athletes will assist the center's efforts in truly making a difference in the lives of these young people in a most positive way."
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For
Immediate Release: Wednesday, February 26, 2003