On Tuesday, October 22, 2024, as part of the City of Lake Charles’ Love your City event, Reginald Weeks was named the 2024 Mayor’s Mentor Awardee by Mayor Nic Hunter.

Mr. Weeks has dedicated his career to serving challenged youth. As the director and founder of local nonprofit Commitment to Change (C2C), he aims to assist our youth and young adults who have been in trouble with the school system, arrested, or on probation or parole.

Through C2C, Mr. Weeks’ program provides counseling on financial literacy, substance abuse, parenting, decision making and social skills. C2C also offers insight on how to gain access to community resources. 

Additionally, Mr. Weeks works to tackle disparity in ACT/SAT scores for minorities and children of lower socioeconomic status. Via C2C, Mr. Weeks raises funds to purchase Casio Advanced System calculators and works with local school counselors and principals to identify and provide students with this valuable tool, equipping them for success and increasing their chances for higher scores and additional scholarship opportunities.

“We had a number of deserving nominees for this year’s award, but what really stood out about the work Mr. Weeks is doing is his commitment to youth who may have already made some ill-advised decisions. These young men and women deserve a second chance, and Mr. Weeks helps them see this opportunity as well. His efforts are paying off,” said Mayor Nic Hunter. “Our community has so many resources available, and Mr. Weeks is making use of them. By working with the community, Office of Juvenile Justice Services, our local court system and our local school system, he is offering a hand up to young people who often feel forgotten. I am honored to recognize him with our 2024 Mayor’s Mentor Award and thank him for his dedication to mentoring our youth.”

To learn more about Commitment to Change, visit www.commitmenttochangec2c.com.