Youth Venture

Life-changing moment led teen to change others' lives

Plano: He is honored for work to help abused children, animals

03:36 PM CDT on Wednesday, April 25, 2007
By CHRIS COATS / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News

Plano West senior Kyle Freas had a life-changing moment in elementary school while living in Austin: His teacher, frustrated with Kyle, picked him up and threw him hard against a chair. While he suffered injuries to his neck that eventually healed, the emotional trauma lingered.

Plano West High senior Kyle Freas was honored as Texas' top high school volunteer with a Prudential Spirit of Community Award. He receives a $1,000 award and a trip to Washington, D.C., where a national winner will be announced. "It caused a lot of depression in my life," he said. "I just wanted it solved by getting away from that teacher. But it just kept going on – everyone gave me special attention that I didn't want as being an abused kid.

"They treated me like I was different. I wanted everything to be normal again."

But things are better than normal for the National Honor Society member, who's been selected from thousands of high school students as the state's honoree in the 2007 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards.

Kyle's charity, "Youth Together," works with more than 100 schools to help children and animals in need. Since founding the organization six years ago, he's raised more than $70,000. Drawing on his experience, he sought to bring a sense of normalcy to the lives of abused, critically ill and homeless children.

"I want to be able to help kids see that they can get through anything and that there is help out there for them," he said. "I also want kids to see the importance of giving back."

Along with receiving a $1,000 award, Kyle and honorees from other states won an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C. A national winner will be selected at next month's awards ceremony.

To get to this point in his life, Kyle's parents, Tom and Muffie, had him go through counseling. The couple eventually moved Kyle and older brother Cody to Plano. Because of their strong belief in giving back to the community, his parents got the boys involved in charity work.

"We'd do things like taking presents to families in need," said Mrs. Freas. "I wanted the kids to see that we're lucky to have what we have and the importance of helping others."

In 2000, Cody started "Operation Paws" and worked with Operation Kindness, an animal shelter in Carrollton where students sponsor animals. Kyle took over the program when his brother left for college.

With a strong desire to help other kids, Kyle developed other programs like providing backpacks filled with school supplies for abused kids or working with critically ill children through the Make-A-Wish Foundation. He has recruited hundreds of students to aid his cause through school clubs.

"The kids look forward to the programs and want to help," said Brinker Elementary School counselor Kathy Barrett. "In Operation Paws they get a picture of the animal they are sponsoring, and there is a party where they can go to the shelter and meet it. In the Make-a-Wish program they get a bio and picture of the child whose wish they helped grant. The kids get to see the results of their contribution."

The cost to sponsor an animal is only $12, but it adds up for the shelter.

"He donates $10,000 a year, which is huge," said Tomi Tucker, volunteer coordinator for Operation Kindness. "That money is spent on emergency care and other needs. He gets the kids and parents excited – who also end up volunteering, adopting or donating."

At the Samaritan Inn in McKinney, his program provides niceties during the holidays to benefit the homeless children at the shelter.

"He's recruiting students to provide things like Easter baskets that these kids normally go without," said Cheryl Spofford, coordinator of volunteers. "The kids love knowing that the help comes from other kids."

Kyle said he would like to further expand his programs by "getting a grant program started with a board." He has recruited Plano Mayor Pat Evans to serve.

"I see the quality in what Kyle's doing, and I've challenged him on where this is going," she said. "He's building a legacy. I'd like to help him build on it."

With plans to attend the University of Oklahoma in the fall, Kyle would like to develop a program there and recruit students in Plano to continue what he's built here.

"I'll still be involved in every way – that will never change," he said.

High school pal Brad Henkel, 18, will also be attending OU.

"I've helped Kyle, and I'd like to help start it up at college," he said. "You can see what changes your efforts can make. It really does inspire you to keep helping others."

Chris Coats is a freelance writer in Plano