VIDA: Our Youth-Our Future — Funded by the City of Santa Clarita and established in February 2006, the VIDA Program or Vital Intervention and Directional Alternatives, is a 16-week program designed to assist "at-risk" youth between the ages of 12 and 17 by redirecting negative behavior into positive alternatives. In providing the program, the City of Santa Clarita and the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station recognize the importance of offering counseling, family action, community service, physical training, team building, and career guidance to wayward youth in our community. All this is done in an effort to help redirect negative behavior of our youth, who may be tempted to explore gang affiliation, drug use, or crime.
    "By putting positive influences around these youth, we can help them realize their self-worth, establish goals and avoid gangs, drugs, crime and negative influences," said Captain La Berge. He added, "We must do our part with our youth, as they are the future of this great community."
    Every Thursday night in the month of January 2009, Deputy Tim Ferrone of the VIDA Program will host VIDA Registration Night at the Sequoia Charter School — 21445 Centre Pointe Parkway, Canyon Country. This registration night is required, even if a pre-registration application was previously completed on-line. The youth applicant does not need to be present at the time of registration. The registration event begins at 7:00 p.m. and offers an opportunity for family members and those who are interested in the program to attend, ask questions, get information about the program and even register for the next class which is scheduled to begin on Saturday, February 14th, 2009.
    All members of the press are invited to attend the registration event and are also welcome to cover any portion of the program. All members of the public who are interested in the VIDA Program are also welcome to attend. For additional information, or to get involved with "Our Youth — Our Future," contact Deputy Timothy Ferrone of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station at (661) 510-0881 or visit the VIDA web page at SCVSheriff.com and fill out the on-line information application at the following link: VIDA Information and Interest Application.