Research shows that the highest risk time period for teens occurs immediately after school: 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. Left unsupervised, many teens tend to make unhealthy choices that can harm themselves and our community. Peter Allman could see that many teenagers in his community had nowhere to go after school, particularly in the disadvantaged central neighborhoods of Lincoln. So he got organized and created a project to help rescue the youth who might otherwise drift onto the streets and into trouble. He calls the project, "Lighthouse.”

Lighthouse serves as a drop-in center, and increasing numbers of young, dedicated volunteers facilitate its programs to help the less fortunate and at-risk youth of the community. Lighthouse's number one goal aims to ensure that each of the attending teenagers will graduate from high school, no mean feat as Lincoln has a seventeen percent dropout rate. Yet, in spite of this formidable barrier, the Lighthouse shines on through its accomplishments: many pictures of kids in their caps and gowns on the "Wall of Fame" attest to the program's success. Throughout it all, Peter works tirelessly to organize, to implement, and to raise the money needed for this endeavor.

Lighthouse provides a "safe harbor" during the high-risk hours for teens. Its staff and volunteers provide a supportive, nurturing, and structured environment in which teens not only feel safe, but also feel valued. The program provides tutoring, mentoring, academic enrichment, recreational activities, free evening meals, field trips, and special events. Last year, Lighthouse nourished the souls of 504 different teens, helping them find their place and meet their aspirations. The center also nourished their bodies, too, providing 3,220 nutritious evening meals.

Peter Allman believes that every person needs to have his or her sense of belonging fulfilled in a positive way. Lighthouse helps achieve this by creating an "extended family," helping many of our community's disadvantaged teens navigate through adolescence to find their road to success and achieve citizenship in its most inclusive sense. Peter and the volunteers of the Lighthouse shine a light for many teens who would be otherwise lost at sea, and their beacon has saved many young people: Last year, 98 percent of the teens who frequented Lighthouse graduated to continue their schooling, renewed in their ability to achieve –– and empowered with aspirations, dignity, and the light of hope.

To learn more about Peter and his cause, and how you can make a difference, please visit:
www.lincolnlighthouse.org.

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