A Journey of Redemption
His answers were halting, incomplete, draped in self-consciousness. Something was missing. Something was wrong. Something profound.
Street2Street’s Program Director, André, sensed he wasn’t getting the real story from Lenny.
Lenny joined our program in Passaic, New Jersey at the same time basketball tryouts were taking place in the local high schools. Many of the kids were hoping to make their school team, and so conversations revolved around drills and techniques that would help them stand out. Lenny, however, avoided conversations about tryouts.
Aware of this, André probed into Lenny's reasons, only to be met with a string of peculiar excuses. It became evident that something deeper was affecting Lenny's ability to participate.
Understanding the struggles that young individuals like Lenny often face, Ramir, a Street2Street alum-turned-coach, took it upon himself to connect with Lenny on a personal level. What emerged, finally, was the revelation that Lenny hadn't been attending high school all year.
“I’m not in high school anymore,” Lenny said. “My mom let me drop out last year, which is why I didn’t try out,” His voice trailed off as he awaited the expected negative reaction. Everything in his life, to this point, had conditioned him for a response of condemnation, even ridicule. But that’s not what happened.
Lenny drew a deep breath. “But I want to go back to school,” he said. There was just a whisper of hope in the way he said it.
"Oh, we know how to help you get back on track!" Ramir replied, his voice full of reassurance. Just three years older than Lenny, Ramir had grown up in Street2Street and had seen André help kids countless times before. Now, as a coach, Ramir was able to help in the same way.
Recognizing the urgency and importance of Lenny's desire to reintegrate into the educational system, Ramir and André rallied behind him. More importantly, they recognized this wasn’t really about fixing a school issue. It was about fixing a broken spirit. And restoring hope. And rebuilding dreams.
The very next day, Lenny made his way to the Passaic Board of Education and re-enrolled in school.
His commitment, along with Ramir and André's support, testify to the strength of the bonds formed within our program and the impact of mentorship on the lives of young individuals trying their best to navigate their way in a lost world.
