Making change happen
By Ruth Schenk | .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Darius Daniels chose to succeed.
A student at West End School in Louisville, Daniels is realistic about the past and optimistic about the future. For him, moving to the year-round boarding school was the beginning of a new day.
“Before this, I was always in trouble,” he said. “All the way through school they told me I needed to switch things around. Even when I came here, I had to
make some decisions because I was on the edge of getting kicked out. I had to decide if I wanted to be here or go back to where I lived, get in trouble and not
learn things.”
Daniels made the decision to stay.
“I’m a pretty different kid (now) than when I came,” he said. “My Grammy is proud of me.”
West End School runs on discipline, high expectations and faith. Students are referred by pastors, family members or teachers and counselors in the public
school system. It is a new partner with Southeast Local Missions.
Robert and Debbie Blair founded the school in 2005 by taking three students into their home. They taught, mentored, made teens accountable and worked on
character development.
In seven years, the school has grown to include 24 students who live at the school Monday through Friday, then go home to be with family or guardians on
weekends.
Robert and his wife live in a faculty apartment at the school, along with Ben and Amanda Payne and their baby daughter. Ben, who has a master’s degree in
architecture from UNC Charlotte, is resident faculty, mentor and coach. There are 12 dorm rooms and two faculty apartments.
Robert, formerly the headmaster of Kentucky Country Day School in Louisville, believes every child can succeed.
“Just because some kids had a rough start in life doesn’t mean they can’t succeed,” Robert said. “Odds are statistically stacked against African-American
males in the West End of Louisville. They are nearly as likely to go to prison as graduate from high school. That’s why we’re here. We’ve failed them to this
point.”
Robert points to Acts 1, where Jesus said to go to Jerusalem, Judea and the end of the earth.
“There are huge needs here,” Robert said. “The first thing I say to kids is they are here to get a good education in a safe and stable environment, but character
is more important than intellect.”
Curriculum is tough. Character training is even more rigorous. There are consequences for lying, cheating and not treating other students right. The boys live
a somewhat monastic life. There are no televisions, cell phones, iPods or video games on campus.
Seven years after they began, West End School is silencing skeptics with the success of students.
Southeast volunteers have worked on the school building. Rick Steinrock, who owns a roofing company, is replacing the aging roof, and Jay Lowe has
worked on several interior renovation projects.
Southeast members Len Moisan and Junior Bridgeman serve on the board of directors.
“Robert and Debbie Blair are with the kids 24/7, and they are urban missionaries in the strictest sense of the word,” Moisan said. “Board members are
involved with the boys, teach classes and help with housekeeping issues. At one point last year, we realized that the combined jail sentences of our boys’
parents was more than 200 years. We believe that West End School equips them to write a new life script.”
Moisan believes Southeast members will love the new partnership.
“If we are going to be salt and light as Jesus commands, we can’t just do it in the East End of Louisville. This is a great opportunity to get involved in urban
mission. Debbie and Robert Blair are literally saving lives of these young boys, but there is much more that can be done. These kids are so bright, so
engaging that they steal your heart. It’s a joy to be involved with them.”
Steven Stivers, now a student at Louisville Collegiate School, was being raised by his 24-year-old brother before he came to West End School. He now is
working on a pilot’s license through United Parcel Service.
Jordan Duff’s mom brought him to West End School. His father was incarcerated and he needed direction. He now is an honor roll student at Kentucky
Country Day, where he is a starting running back on the school’s football team.
Len Adams has been a student for three years.
“He is maturing into a terrific young man,” Ben said. “In the beginning, the structure and discipline were difficult for him. Some weeks were so rough that he
didn’t talk to me or my wife, but he decided to get in line. Now he texts my wife often and asks about the baby. The turnaround we see in these young men’s
lives is amazing.”
Robert said the school could not exist without the support of the community.
“The school is run on volunteers, donations and faith,” said Robert. “It’s faith first, but we wouldn’t be here if the community didn’t support it.”
Parents bring in supplies. General Electric and other local businesses have brought volunteers. Panera Bread donates food, and Horton Foods donates
fresh fruits and vegetables. Church groups throughout the community send casseroles. According to Robert, literally thousands of volunteers have helped
reclaim the old school building, which is the National Register of Historic Places.
“We have teachers here who never have been paid a nickel,” Robert said. “We have volunteer tutors, cooks and those who clean up.”
On an average day, students get up at 7:30 a.m. Those who need to finish homework get up earlier. They go to class from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Students help
maintain buildings with chores that begin at 4:30. Then there’s time for practice, dinner, homework and lights out.
Robert’s dream is to start a girls’ school not too far away and expand the number of boys at the present campus.
“We know lives are being changed here,” Robert said.
To learn more about West End School, go to www.westendschool.org. If you would like to volunteer, contact Bonnie Epperson at bepperson@secc.org.