Every so often we are surprised at the generosity of the young people in our community. From those who are heavily involved in our peer outreach program to the youth who ask their friends to bring donations for Third Level or Pete's Place in place of gifts to their birthday parties. This story is no different.
Prestyn Seese is in 5th grade at Charlevoix Middle School. He wrote an essay about Third Level for a Kiwanis Club essay contest. After reviewing all of the essays that were submitted, Prestyn was a winner of $50 and gave it to Third Level. His essay follows:
Help Wanted! If I won the fifty dollar prize money I would give it to Third Level. Third Level is a crisis intervention center. They offer programs for youth and adults to put together the gap between families. They help with legal issues for people of all ages suffering from depression and homeless teens looking for a way out.
It's sad when you watch a loving and caring family fall apart during a time of crisis. It's hard when your family falls apart in front of your eyes, but if I win the prize money and give it to the Third Level they could help put back together other people's family and even yours. It's good to have fun with your family which helps build a strong, loving family that is determined to never break apart and that is why Third Level should win the money.
The services they offer are: Suicide Prevention, Free Legal Aid and Youth and Family Services. Suicide is a problem that cuts through every culture, every race, and every social class or income level. It is the eleventh leading cause of death in the U.S., and the third leading cause of death for youth between the ages of fifteen and twenty-four, or put it another way, every 15.2 minutes someone will end their life by suicide. It is useless to end your life with suicide.
The Youth and Family Services Program provides counseling to youth age ten to eighteen and families in schools, community resource centers, and teen health centers or at Third Level office. The program is designed to improve youth development, improve family functioning and reunite families. The youth and family counselors work with young people who have either threatened to or have run away, are homeless or throw away youth experiencing any family conflict or in need of protection.
Another service that Third Level provides is the Free and Legal Aid. It is an opportunity for individuals to receive private, free and confidential legal advice and problem clarification from attorneys from the Grand Traverse-Leelanau-Antrim Bar Association. These are some of the reasons why I should win and give the money to Third Level. If you help them, they will help other people and even you someday.
-Prestyn Seese
 Prestyn handing a $50 check to Ken Homa, Executive Director at Third Level.
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