Ceasing the Circle from Cell to Street

By Kaitlin Weiss
NLU Alumni Magazine

According to the Department of Justice, juveniles incarcerated in state delinquent centers face a 55 percent chance of re-arrest, and 1 in 3 juvenile offenders will end up back in incarceration.  NLU alumnus Ron Brashear is looking to reverse those statistics.

The Youth of Honor Foundation, founded by Ron Brashear in July of 2006, is focusing on juvenile recidivism in the Atlanta, Ga. area. Looking to make a long-term, constructive impact on young adults who have been released back into society after being in the juvenile justice system, Youth of Honor strives to make every young person feel as though they are a valuable and productive person.

“These young people are capable of becoming giants in life,” Ron said. “There was a time when you heard the word ‘at risk’ and it only applied to a certain pocket of youth. Given what the youth of today are exposed to, far beyond what we were exposed to when we were growing up, practically all of today’s kids are at-risk.”

Ron, who struggled himself as a young person, now spends his life working with his Personal You-Turn program. This curriculum allows Ron to share his story and bring real-life examples of how students can create their own course in life.

“What I hope to be is a beacon of hope and share with youth my troubled past. I want to share with them how I was able to turn my life around and I hope that they will do the same thing,” Ron said.

The Youth of Honor Foundation houses other programs such as the Be A Giant program and the Get YOH Jump On Life 10 Step Program. The mission of the foundation is clear in each of these curriculums. They provide youth with collaborative learning atmospheres where young people hold themselves accountable for their success.

“As I learned as an adult, success lies in your preparation,” Ron said, “I didn’t apply myself in school. That was one of the biggest mistakes I made.”

For Ron, his troubled past has only guided him to where he stands today – as founder and president of Youth of Honor, motivational speaker, philanthropist, author, and inspiration to struggling youth everywhere.

Read more from the Winter 2013 NLU Alumni Magazine