America's Teen Leaders Gather in the Heart of America

Boys & Girls Club of America
Thursday, 26 April 2001

Keystone Conference Draws Some 1,500 Youth

(HOUSTON) April 26, 2001 – What do you think 1,500 teenagers in one place at one time would talk about? Would you expect to hear conversations on topics such as hate crimes, domestic abuse and interracial relationships?

Well, that is exactly what will happen when this group of teenagers gathers in Houston to confront their everyday issues and share solutions during Boys & Girls Clubs of America's 35th National TEENSupreme® Keystone Conference.

Sponsored by the Taco Bell Foundation, the Keystone Conference in Houston will host teens from across the country to explore "Keystone: Launching into a New Frontier." Planned and led by a steering committee of youth leaders, the three-day event, April 26 - 28 at the Hyatt Regency Houston Hotel, challenges today's youth to make the tough choices needed to lead productive lives in this increasingly hi-tech and culturally diverse world. Discussion topics range from drug and alcohol abuse and hate crimes to achieving a higher education to improving society's outlook on teens.

The national conference is part of TEENSupreme, a $15 million outreach initiative targeting teens at risk, sponsored by the Taco Bell Foundation and administered by Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Keystone Clubs are leadership groups, ages 14-18, within Boys & Girls Clubs that focus on community service.

"Taco Bell is extremely proud of its partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America and the TEENSupreme® program," said Emil Brolick, president of Taco Bell Corp. and chairman of the Taco Bell Foundation. "Teens are our customers, our employees, and members of families who count on our restaurants to accommodate their busy lifestyles. Helping teens to overcome today's problems is part of Taco Bell's responsibility. It is a natural and necessary part of our business and everyone in the extended Taco Bell family gets great satisfaction from supporting these teen leaders of tomorrow."

The Taco Bell Foundation, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, was established by the Taco Bell Corporation as a public charity in 1992 to help the communities it serves. Money for the TEENSupreme program is raised by the foundation through charitable donations collected in canisters in the company's restaurants as well as participating franchise restaurants.

For more information, or to contact Boys & Girls Club of America, see their website at: www.bgca.org