Jabious Williams, 7, hustled for tips pumping gas at a self-service Exxon station. Anacostia, a violent suburb of southeast Washington, D.C., was his home. After school, Jabious walked a mile each way through gang territory to make $30 a day helping his single mom support her family. As a young black male growing up in America's inner city, his chances for survival were slim.
High school drop-out rates continue to soar in most urban centers of the United States. Almost 20 million young people under 17 live below the poverty line. Every nine seconds in America, a student drops out of school. Jabious and his younger brother came close to joining their ranks. Without a mentoring hand, their failure was imminent. The boys were in desperate need of support.
To read the full, original article click on this link: Paul Wisenthal: Mentoring The Tough And Risky: A Small Cadre Of Successful Women Mentor At-Risk Youth
