ELLICOTT CITY, MD – Howard County Executive Calvin Ball today highlighted the resounding success of the County’s summer programs and initiatives aimed at engaging young people in the County. During the announcement, Ball shared that the application process is now open for the County’s FY26 Youth Engagement Programming (YEP!) grants. Pictures from the event can be found on the County’s Flickr website. The PowerPoint presentation can be found on the County's website here.
Across our county, our young people carry our hopes and dreams for the future. They are our students, our workers, our neighbors, our artists, and our emerging leaders in the making. As a community, it is our responsibility to ensure every young person has access to opportunity, safety, mentorship, and fulfillment. That is why Howard County continues to make historic investments in youth engagement. From summer programming to year-round enrichment, from community centers to leadership councils, we are building a continuum of support that empowers young people at every stage of their journey.
Ball highlighted three summer programs funded by the County: STAND, Teen Kick Backs, and the Summer Youth Employment Program.
STAND Summer Program
Stepping Towards a New Destiny (STAND) was a six-day-per-week, seven-week long summer program for at-risk youth. The 32 participants were between the ages of 12 and 18. They came from the Homewood Center, the Department of Juvenile Services, or the Howard County Passages Program and Wilde Lake High School. The program centered on accomplishing the following key objectives: Life Skills & Mentorship, Community Engagement, Healthy Recreation & Competition, Essential Nutrition & Rest and Safe Indoor Space & Recreation.
The average attendance rate for the program was 96%. Feedback received after the conclusion of the program included 92% of youth feeling “more confident” and “more supported.” Notably, students built strong relationships with mentors, gained exposure to career and collage pathways, and documented significant improvements in Social Emotional Learning outcomes during the program.
Teen Kick Backs
Throughout the Summer of 2025, Howard County’s Department of Recreation and Parks offered Teen Kick Back nights for youth ages 11-17. The drop-in program was hosted weekly at six locations throughout the county. Young people were offered free pizza and snacks, sports videos games and more. There was a record number of 1,145 registrants this summer, an increase of more than 115% from the prior year.
The program aimed to provide youth with a heightened sense of safety through structure, rules and expectations, as well as providing a safe, fun space for kids to relax and socialize. By providing an environment where kids can engage in productive activities, they are strengthening their decision-making skills while building confidence and fostering a sense of community.
Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP)
Through SYEP, the Howard County Office of Workforce Development (OWD) carefully matches young people with opportunities based on age, interest, and skillset, allowing them to gain valuable real-world experience while building professional skills. This paid program focuses on teaching teens and young adults valuable job readiness skills and career exploration with local businesses, nonprofits, and government partners. This six-week program offered both in-person job placements and virtual employment readiness experiences.
Of the 300 total youth participants, approximately 133 participants were employed at 34 in-person worksites this summer, while approximately 167 youth participated in the virtual track, which was tailored especially for the youngest participants ages 14-15. Of those 34 worksites, 20 were Howard County Government departments/offices and 14 were private companies or organizations.
Howard County’s SYEP has exponentially grown from 13 participants and six participating worksites in 2018, prior to Ball taking office, to 300 participants and 65 worksites for Summer 2025. Every employee now earns $16/hour.
Many young people served by SYEP have a disability, are experiencing homelessness, are considered low-income, or face another barrier. Through SYEP, Howard County is helping students and kids with the greatest need to access employment, strengthen their professional development, and achieve greater economic mobility services.
Additionally, Ball has invested in several year-round youth programs:
Youth Engagement Programing (YEP!)
Since launching in 2023, Howard County has invested more than $2 million in nearly 40 programs. In that same time span, more than 13,000 young people have been reached. In 2025, thirty-three nonprofit partners are delivering free and low-cost programs countywide. Programs in YEP! include mentorship, academic support, leadership training, sports, the arts and much more.
Ball also announced applications for the FY26 YEP! Grant program is now open. The application is due by 11:59PM on Wednesday, October 1, 2025. More details on YEP! and the grant application can be found at: https://www.howardcountymd.gov/county-executive/youth-engagement-programming-grants.
Boys and Girls Club at Howard Community College (HCC)
The first of its kind in the state, the partnership with HCC and the Boys and Girls Club connects youth programming with the college’s mission focusing on academic success, healthy lifestyles and developing good character and leadership. A 2025 survey found 88% of youth feel physically and emotionally safe at the Clubs; 94% say they get to explore new things; and 94% say they feel the club accepts them for who they are. In 2024, Howard County invested more than $220,000 to launch the Boys and Girls Club at HCC.
HoCo STRIVES
Launched by Ball in December 2018, HoCo STRIVES provides educational and behavioral health services for children and youth. The program was established to address the county’s persistent academic achievement gap, despite it having one of the best school systems in the country. The program serves as an umbrella for several initiatives that engage a cross-sector of partners, with the goal of ensuring all Howard County children and young people can succeed in school by removing the barriers that negatively impact student achievement.
Since the program’s launch, Ball has invested nearly $6 million in HoCo STRIVES. This investment has increased funding for workforce development, afterschool and summer learning programs, food access, and mental health services.
Since 2019, a total of nearly 1,700 youth have been served through this program. In FY26, Ball invested $850,000 to launch the new Generation Teach GT STEAM Academy and bus circulator program.
Howard County is also investing in creating public spaces for young people to thrive. They include:
The Source
Under the vision of the nonprofit Columbia Community Concepts team, the former Columbia Flier Building will become the future home of “The Source,” a 65,000 square foot, state-of-the-art, LEED-certified community center. The Source will feature a 20,000 square foot gymnasium with four basketball courts, a food hall, video game and other game rooms, a recording studio, computer access and Wi-Fi service, tutoring, arts engagement, mentorship programs and employment resources.
Once complete, The Source will be home to the Columbia Community Care Peace and Justice Center, which will provide vital services for our County’s most underserved residents, including literacy programs, a food pantry, video-game rooms, and a recording studio, creating safe places in which our youth can learn and relax as their authentic selves.
Elkridge Community Center
The Department of Recreation and Parks will create a new Teen Zone within the new Elkridge Community Center. The groundbreaking of the Elkridge Community Center is expected Spring 2026.
The dedicated Teen Zone will be approximately 800 square feet in size, welcoming young people in the Elkridge area. Furthermore, the Teen Zone will be designed to expand into the game room, providing approximately 1,500 square feet for teen programming and events.
Importantly, the Teen Zone in the Elkridge Community Center will be co-designed with local youth to reflect their vision and needs. Later this year, the Department of Recreation and Parks will hold a workshop with Elkridge teens to design and shape their space. By engaging teens in the design process, the space will truly serve them and reflect their needs.
YES! Council
Lastly, the Ball administration has created the 27-member YES! Council in direct response to the urgent need for a more coordinated and proactive approach to increase youth engagement and violence prevention in Howard County. YES! is a focused effort to align organizations across the County who are doing youth-focused work—especially in mentorship, conflict resolution, economic mobility, and programming. The final report of the YES! Council will be delivered in December. Howard County is partnering with the University of Baltimore to analyze youth programs and create an assessment to be included in the final YES! Report.