Taking Applications NOW for the 2022-2023 school year!

We believe that our youth have the capacity to become champions in the fight to end Human Trafficking.

Project Protect Our Children (PPOC) is a 501c3 nonprofit dedicated to preventing child sex trafficking, exploitation and abuse through proactive community engagement, preventative educational programs, awareness and empowerment opportunities.

The Youth Action Board (YAB) was conceptualized to engage and empower today's youth.  YAB members will be given the opportunity to collectively collaborate, brainstorm and reflect on solutions and event ideas to raise awareness about human trafficking amongst their peers, educators, and community. The YAB board itself is student driven.  Under the supervision of PPOC, the YAB Advisor and their school campus sponsor, students will be given the opportunity to answer the call to action, encouraged to use their passion to make a difference and given the platform for their voice to be heard. Tools and resources will be provided by PPOC, to inspire, conceptualize, plan, and implement school wide Human Trafficking Awareness events and/or activities on their school campus during Human Trafficking Awareness month.

Empowering today's youth, to protect tomorrow's future.

  • Are you a student in grades 9-12 in the Greater Houston Area?
  • Do you feel called to join in the fight against child sex trafficking, exploitation and abuse?
  • Do you want to be part of the solution?
  • Do you want to make a difference?

We are currently accepting applications for positions on our Youth Action Board!

Requirements

  • Complete 5 hours of training (combination of virtual, in person and required reading) provided by PPOC.
  • Attend 75% of scheduled meetings
  • With the help of the Project Protect Our Children, the Youth Action Board Advisor, and your school campus sponsor, conceptualize and implement a campus wide Human Trafficking awareness event or activity during the month of January at your school campus.

Meeting schedule is as follows, but subject to change.

  1. Virtual monthly meetings starting in June until December
  2. In person monthly meetings  for the months of September, October and November, meeting location tbd.
  3. January -  implementation of event/activity on school campus
  4. February - review meeting
  5. April - wrap-up meeting and Spring Festival honoring your achievements!

Applications Due June 3, 2022

All applicants should submit the following to youthactionboard@projectprotectourchildren.com

  1. Your name, High School, email address and cell phone number.
  2. A one page essay, double spaced, explaining why you are interested in a board position.
  3. A letter of recommendation from one of your current teachers, school administrator or adult mentor.

Acceptance Policy

All applicants that have submitted the above mentioned documents by the date required will be accepted.  However, if your school does not currently have a Youth Action Board on campus, you will need to work with PPOC to secure a school campus sponsor.

Applicants will be notified by June 6, 2022.

What are people saying about our Youth Action Board?

"The young people on stage with me today have set a powerful example, not just for their fellow students, but for our entire community here in Houston. They're stepping up to improve our city and the lives of children who have been subjected to the horrible evils of trafficking. We all have a role to play in rooting out this evil, and these young people have gone above and beyond to meet the moment and truly serve our community. I passed a little bit of legislation, but these kids have put hundreds and hundreds of hours into this. It's incredible. I was talking to them earlier about what exactly they do. They've reached thousands and thousands of their peers which really is amazing." - Congressman Dan Crenshaw

"Human trafficking is not just a law enforcement issue, but that it takes all aspects within the community to help resolve the issue. Today's event is a true example of that with the Youth Action Board doing just that. As young students, they have identified a critical issue that primarily targets their age group, and they've decided to make a difference." - Lt. A.M. Merrit, HPD Vice Division Human Trafficking Unit

"One of my favorite quotes happens to be from Winston Churchill says, 'We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give,' and what these young people are giving is a testament to them, testament to their parents, testament to this organization (PPOC). It's so wonderful to see that it is going to take everyone in this fight." - Commander K.D. Anthony-Miller, HPD Vice Division

"In the 15 years that I've been doing the work in human trafficking, mostly in the victim services side, but now working the last year with the Houston Police Department and the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance of the Southern District of Texas, I've seen the importance of what's really going to be the game-changer for how we combat human trafficking in our community. And that is how we raise up the next generation of leaders. So these 6 students here have taken the step in doing exactly that - raising their level of interest and acknowledgment of the problem in their own community and saying something and doing something to challenge us as citizens of our country. Members of our communities, it's important that we recognize their efforts and so I do, as well, commend their great work and their great discipline of doing something that's extraordinary beyond most students in today's world." - Dennis Mark, Task Force Coordinator, Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance