Della Lamb Youth Services are designed to teach kids alternatives that prevent crime and drug involvement, and to reinforce the need to stay in school by offering positive alternative activities for at-risk Kansas City youths ages 10-17.

These programs are structured through a neighborhood-based after-school/evening/weekend format and include multiple options for kids to connect with positive, caring adults who offer activities that provide alternatives with impact. 

Specifically, Della Youth programs offer year-round league Athletics, including football, basketball, baseball, etc. Educationally, Della programs offer kids tutoring and homework help, as well as youth leadership development, using the renowned "Changing Scenes" curriculum-designed program, which is research-based with data that demonstrates positive results with higher stay-in-school statistics, higher school-graduation rates, lower incarceration numbers and lower pregnancy rates among enrolled low-income, at-risk teens. 

The Changing Scenes Curriculum requires small group, adult-facilitated but student-led activities and discussion groups specifically focused to explore issues faced by teens, including Self-Discovery, Peer Relationships, Values, Making Choices, Consequences, Personal Goal-Setting, Volunteer Service Activities and more.

All Della Youth Services are implemented daily with specific intent to positively impact at-risk kids, the same intent which created the original funding set-aside to establish COMBAT. 

Della Youth Services will reach 450 to 500 low-income Kansas City kids with athletics, tutoring, recreational, leadership development and after-school programming. Della Programs consist of adult role 
model/mentors who reinforce behaviors which are drug-preventative, violence-preventive and pregnancy­preventative, while also reinforcing the message of staying in school. The adults and youths develop healthy, supportive relationships; provide positive alternative activities; teach conflict resolution, anger management, group relationship team-building, and other strength-building skill-sets. 

A Youth Council will participate in the development and planning of activities and assess programs with the guidance of trained, caring adults. 

Targeted low-income youths will be recruited to participate in the programs through printed fliers, social media, PSA's, and personal visitation recruitment sessions within area churches, schools, housing developments and community centers. Additionally, fliers will be placed on bulletin boards in area supermarkets, laundromats, libraries and other businesses. The program will also be promoted among parents utilizing Della Lamb's other programs, such as older siblings of Early Education/Child Care children, children of Adult Education/ESL 
classes, Refugee Resettlement, Seasonal Holiday Services, etc. 

Once recruited, youth participating at Della will complete program entry forms, which require parent signatures and include program rule agreements, reinforcements against drug and alcohol involvement, and policies related to appropriate behavioral expectations. Youths involved in athletics will be expected to commit to and participate in educational programming as well as leadership development. Daily signature sheets will be required to document participation. Pre and post Survey responses will be administered upon initial program entry to establish baseline data, and 
periodically (monthly/quarterly) determine benchmark progress. 

Recently, Della Athletics have afforded low-income youth otherwise inaccessible opportunities for exposure at national-level tournaments, which has resulted in high percentages of four-year college scholarships for the youths involved.

COMBAT Funding: $24,000.00