KILLEEN, Texas — When it comes to violence in Central Texas, a local non-profit is working to break the crime cycle in young teens.
"We're trying to show the kids that you can be anything you want to be, right here in your own community," Breeon Price, Founder of the non-profit, Brotherhood, said. "You can be successful right here in Killeen. You don't have to leave Killeen to be successful or to be somebody."
Killeen's first murder of 2023 involved an 18-year-old victim. With an increase in violence in the Killeen area, the community came together on Sunday, April 16, to give children a safe and positive environment.
"It's rough out here in these streets. Now violence is everywhere and that's all people are seeing," Price said. "And then they have to see the other side of violence. A lot of people don't see the other side and think they can get away with it. No."
Price has overcome his own obstacles after being in prison. He is now working to help others.
"People who have been there need to step up more and tell these kids that this is not the road they need to go," Price said. "I've been there and done that. Now I've changed my life, so now I'm trying to keep them from doing that."
The Youth Leadership Camp at the Harker Heights Event Center aimed to do just that. It was a day full of career activities and leadership programs.
"Sometimes you have to show kids visually that they can be these things because a lot of times it's not on their minds," Price said. "But once you put it on their minds they say, 'Oh I can do this, I can be that' and now that it's on their minds, they can aspire to be more."
They can aspire to be more, surrounded by new friends and their neighbors, right here in Central Texas.
Where I live we don't have a park, we just have a mailbox," Christopher Robinson, a 10-year-old camp attendee, said. "So, with my friends we just meet at the mailbox and climb trees, I guess. But, when I come here I get to meet more people and new friends."
Meet new friends, who all have different dreams.
"I want to be an engineer, so it shows how people have conquered challenges and built stuff," Aoiden Wallace, 15-year-old camp attendee, said.
"I want to be in the NFL," Robinson said.
"Well, I was thinking about being a graphic designer," Dawn Wooten, 12-year-old camp attendee, said.
They are all hoping to one day make these dreams a reality, and break the crime cycle.
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