Saving Our Teens kicks off a new mentorship program this week

Hattiesburg, MS - Saving Our Teens, a ministry of The Church House, kicks off a new mentorship program this week, partnering with The Forrest County Youth Detention Center. The new program, 'iCare Mentorship Program' is designed to give kids a second outlook on life and a real eye opener on the results of 'Critical Decision Thinking', a Saving Our Teens term derived from the age old century phrase, “Think Before You Act.” The program creates a real 'See It Yourself' atmosphere as kids witness first hand the results of both good and bad decision making from personal testimonies of those who've experienced it themselves.

“I've made a lot of bad decisions in life but people never gave up on me; powerful people, very influential people who I admire and respect! A lot of young people look up to me. They think this “Mr. Hattiesburg figure” is a local celebrity because they see me on T.V., hear me on the radio, or see pics of me hanging out with their favorite celebrities or role models. I want to use this influence in a positive way to help inspire change in the world but I can only do that by doing my part in my community. I've been down the wrong roads of life but once I found out that people really cared about me, that people were depending on me, and that I was somebody, I turned my life around before I ended up ruining my life forever. I want to show others this same compassion. They showed me they cared and it made the world of difference. Now, I'm showing I care. That's the reason I started this new program. Life is a result of the decisions we make. Hopefully, the kids will realize it and immediately turn their life around.” - Derrian Moye, Senior Pastor of The Church House.

The program partners with local companies by allowing businesses to give back to the community through incentives which in turn motivate the kids to be more open and acceptable to the powerful life changing testimonies of individuals, from former gang leaders to successful company CEO's and historical figures who've experienced either success or mishaps from their own decisions.

The first company to kickoff this new community partnership is CiCi's Pizza, a long time sponsor of community organizations like Main Street United Methodist Church's Aldersgate Mission in which Derrian became the first Eagle Scout. CiCi's new owner Kevin Chapman is excited about the new partnership. "This program is a way to inspire those young people who have made poor choices in life to believe in themselves, and to know that someone supports them in their effort to turn their lives around. CiCi's Pizza of Hattiesburg proudly supports the iCare Mentorship Program."

The Forrest County Youth Detention Center is under the new leadership of LaKeisha Bryant Hall who took over as the new director in 2012 and was recently named one of Hattiesburg American's “Top 20 Professionals under 40.” “We are extremely appreciative for the organization implementing the iCare Mentorship Program for our young detainees at the Forrest County Juvenile Detention Center. This initiative will allow our teens the opportunity to interact with newer faces from the community with efforts to better themselves once they are released from our custody.”- LaKeisha Bryant Hall, Director of The Forrest County Youth Detention Center.

The program kicks off this Friday, May 1, 2015 at 3:45pm. For more information, please visit our website, www.SavingOurTeens.org.