Every so often, something extraordinary happens in our community, something that reminds us of the power of purpose, mentorship, and vision. Project Reclaim’s recent premiere of its first student-produced television program was exactly that kind of moment.
Held as a public screening, this reception-style event showcased an original interview project created by students in the Project Reclaim summer program. These students didn’t just show up; they showed out. They wrote the interview questions, conducted the interviews, ran the cameras, and produced a final product that made everyone in the room proud.
The featured guest was Dr. Toya Graham, executive director of the Carolyn W. and Charles T. Beaird Family Foundation, who shared heartfelt words about how the interview connected her personal story with her work and even with the future of these students. She didn’t just see a finished product. She saw potential. She saw purpose.
That’s the beauty of what Project Reclaim does, and it’s something I’ve been fortunate to witness firsthand. Ron Anderson, the program’s founder and executive director, doesn’t just run a youth organization. He leads a movement. A movement rooted in the belief that young people don’t just need to be told what not to do. They need something to work toward.
And when they are given that opportunity, when someone believes in them and equips them with tools to lead, the results are nothing short of miraculous.
I’ve visited Ron and the Project Reclaim students several times. Each visit leaves me more inspired than the last. Whether it’s a leadership training exercise, a community service project, or something as innovative as a student-run TV segment, the impact is clear. This program is changing lives.
Ron said something during the screening that stuck with me. He told the students to look around the room at the adults who showed up, many of whom they didn’t know, and reminded them that all those people came to support them. Not out of obligation, but out of care. That’s the kind of reinforcement that can change a young person’s direction forever.
Too often, communities like ours are told what we lack. But initiatives like Project Reclaim prove just how rich we are in what really matters—people with heart, with vision, and with a willingness to build something better for the next generation.
If you haven’t had the chance to see Project Reclaim in action, I encourage you to do so. And if you have the ability to support this mission, whether through your time, your talents, or your resources, I can’t think of a more worthy investment.
You can learn more about the organization and its programs by visiting www.prstars.org or calling (318) 423-4987. As the school year approaches, their after-school program will begin again, continuing to shape the lives of students all across Webster Parish.
Let’s not just applaud what’s being done. Let’s keep showing up, supporting, and investing in it.
Because when we invest in our youth, we aren’t just shaping their future. We’re securing ours.
David Specht is president of Specht Newspapers, Inc., publisher of the Minden Press-Herald, Bossier Press-Tribune, and BIZ Magazine.