While many Howard County families have a local community association membership or they can afford to send their young people to camps, the county’s working-class families—some of whom are working multiple jobs and still struggling—continue to face financial barriers that make it more challenging for their children to have a place to go in the summertime.
“Time and again we hear it from our young people that they’re looking for not just something to do, but somewhere they can go where they can learn and explore in fun and safe ways and be surrounded by mentors and adults who look like them, who can relate to them, and who care about them,” said Erika Strauss Chavarria, founder and executive director of Columbia Community Care Inc. (CCC). “That’s why we’re working on building The Source, a community center anticipated to open in 2027 that will include free and accessible safe spaces for young people to improve their lives and gain social, emotional and well-being support from people they trust.”
Prevention Programming With a Purpose
In the meantime, this summer CCC’s PUSH (Persevere Until Success Happens) program joined forces with CCC’s longtime partner STAND (Stepping Towards a New Destiny Corporation) to create an impactful summer program for Howard County teens.
“The goal was to combine the expertise of STAND’s Tigana “Coach” Duncan and PUSH’s Saquan Maxwell and help provide a wide range of support for Howard County’s young people during a time when they need it the most and at no cost to them,” added Strauss Chavarria. “The result is United We STAND, a culmination of years’ long advocacy efforts, with us working hard to build connections and partnerships to help Howard County families with at-risk youth.”
Coach Duncan started STAND more than 10 years ago in Baltimore City to provide mentorship while helping young men have positive life experiences outside of the city. The program expanded to Howard County in 2015 and partners with the Howard County court system, the state’s attorney, sheriff department, local politicians and community leaders to reduce recidivism among kids who have had interactions with the law.
Saquan Maxwell started PUSH in 2017 before expanding into Howard County as part of CCC in 2023 to help young people to successfully transition into the world by catching behavior patterns early and creating a strong structure of support. The peer-led program provides teens with academic assistance, service opportunities, career workshops, sports and activities, and the chance to make their voices heard in an adult-driven community.
Creating a Teen-Approved Curriculum
In total, 32 teens participated in the six-week United We STAND summer program, and included a combination of backgrounds such as straight-A students, teens who were court-referred, and others whose choices may lead them into trouble with the law in the future. The program was developed to provide young men and women with life and communication skills, financial literacy, mentorship, health and healing, and career insights. During this inaugural summer, various professionals spoke to the young people about topics ranging from personal hygiene to law to electricity. The teens also participated in a Shark Tank-style competition to come up with a way to solve a world problem wherein the winner would receive money to donate to an organization or start a nonprofit to begin working on their solution. United We STAND provided breakfast, lunch and snacks on Mondays through Thursdays. On Fridays and Saturdays, the program served dinner or the group went out for dinner they called “breaking bread.”
In addition, the teens’ experience helped inform the curriculum. “We wanted to know all their excuses for getting into trouble,” said Coach Duncan. “Then we replaced all those reasons with opportunities.”
Some mentees shared they were growing up without a father figure, and the absence either made them feel they didn’t know how to be a young man or led them to feel unsafe. United We STAND provided several mentors for the young people to connect with who could help be a positive influence. Other participants said their parent didn’t have a car, and the program provided opportunities to travel, including trips to Hershey Park, Ocean City, and other outdoor activities like paint ball, go-kart racing, trampoline parks, and even a visit to a firehouse where some teens applied for apprenticeship. Several teens also pointed out that growing up without money was their excuse for committing crimes; the program provided $100 daily stipends for each participant.
For those whose reason for getting into trouble was that they were angry and unable to express their feelings, every day, the summer program ended with a wellness circle, where mentors and mentees reflect on their day and how they feel. During United We STAND, the young people felt safe to hug each other and cry and share without judgement. “I wish the rest of the world could see those they deem as trouble being so kind and big hearted,” said Saquan Maxwell.
Forging Bonds and Making an Impact
The closing ceremony for the summer program was held August 9, 2025. It was an emotional day as mentees and parents gathered alongside STAND, PUSH and CCC to celebrate the success of the program and growth of the participants. Results from comparing pre- and post-assessments indicate that the teens’ financial literacy awareness increased and their social IQ improved. United We STAND court-referred participants also had zero new arrests or repeat offenders.
“I’ve learned so much from the coaches, the people around me and the program itself,” added Zakai, a summer mentee. “Now, thanks to the STAND program, I’ve learned how to manage my emotions in the safest way possible.”
“I think the program was great. We got to learn and see what life’s really about and how to be standup citizens in this day and time…,” agreed Dez, a program participant. “Another thing I really enjoyed is the coaches always making sure we had something to do for the summer to keep us from getting in trouble because we are all a family and we are in this together.”
“We wanted this program to be as family-oriented as possible,” added Maxwell. “We had planned for a break on the July 4th holiday, but the kids didn’t understand. They asked, ‘How do we tell each other we’re family but don’t spend holidays together?’” Moved by their reaction, Duncan, Maxwell, and their teams found a park, bought some hotdogs and hamburgers, and hung out with the young people all day and into the evening, a night known to see a lot of underage crime.
To further underscore the positive impact of the summer program, participants like Kamari shared that the program was very beneficial to their mental health. “The STAND program has helped me mentally,” he said. “It has made me ambitious and it has given me courage while at the same time helping me become the man I can be.”
According to Duncan, having supportive parents helped increase teen engagement in the program. “We wanted to make sure parents were aware of everything happening in the program, including the need for signed permission slips so we could do all the planned activities,” he said. “Overall, parents were very excited that their kids had something to do in the summer.” Next year, Duncan and Maxwell hope to get more parents engaged in the programming.
Excited about the future, Strauss Chavarria said, “The United We STAND summer program was a true partnership, demonstrating how prevention programs can help young people—regardless of their past choices—engage in meaningful and purpose-driven learning and growth to better understand their self-worth and break the cycle.”
“When I first joined United We STAND, I didn’t know what to expect,” said Dustin, a program participant. “I like the bond that I created with everyone … and I hope we can keep this program in the long run. I hope what we build can keep going and we do more traveling, activities and events.”
CCC plans to repeat the United We STAND summer program in 2026. With additional funding, CCC hopes to continue carrying out elements of the summer program for teens to participate in the fall after school.
You can support CCC through donation or volunteering.
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