Youth of Honor 4Q11 Newsletter

In May 2011, as a continuation of the UPS $20K Community Grant, the YOH team traveled south to Midland, Georgia to address the youth incarcerated at the Aaron Cohn Regional Youth Detention Center (approximately 65 youth) and the youth incarcerated at the Muscogee Youth Development Campus (approximately 60 youth).

YOH President & Founder Ron Brashear, along with YOH VP/Executive Director Tom Grason, addressed these youth with YOH’s BE A GIANT presentation and concepts.   Mr. Brashear stressed the importance of first, taking ownership of their actions that led these youth to this place in their lives and he challenged each of them to make the choice to GROW through it instead of just GO through it and they too, can have a better tomorrow!  Mr. Grason conveyed, “It is not too late to change your path and trajectory in life.  You can't erase your history and the actions that brought you here but you can begin writing a new chapter in life by being a GIANT today and every day going forward.”  All of the youth received a copy of Mr. Brashear’s book titled, Bouncing back…Living life the right way, along with BE A GIANT wrist bands. 

The youth were very receptive and provided very good feedback regarding YOH’s visit, with many of them pledging to become GIANTS in their lives and grow from the bad choices they have made that led to their confinement. Here is a link to some of the testimonials from the sessions which were gathered by the local leadership from the youth - click here to read their testimonies.

In August 2011, YOH received an invite from Dr. Rufus Johnson, Regional Principal of Georgia’s Department of Juvenile Justice, for the YOH team to come address the Youth incarcerated at the Dekalb Regional Youth Detention Center.  This particular center was selected by Dr. Johnson as a top priority for YOH’s programs as a result of a major disruption that took place at this facility earlier in the year.  The Dekalb SWAT team had to be dispatched to this center to restore order after the riot (See http://www.ajc.com/news/dekalb/dekalb-swat-called-to-957855.html)

Dr. Johnson stated, “After witnessing first hand, on numerous occasions over the past few years, the effectiveness and the passion that Mr. Brashear and Mr. Grason put into these sessions with our youth, I just knew they would stand the best chance of reaching some of these most hardened youth housed at the Dekalb center. The session was so inspiring, that the staff made a special request to have a couple of the youth who had caused problems earlier in the day and missed it, to get an opportunity to have a one-on-one session with Mr. Brashear to hear his messages directly.”

On October 28, 2011, as part of the 2011 Red Ribbon Week, YOH President & Founder, Ron Brashear, was invited to be the guest speaker and address the youth at Toney Elementary School in Decatur, Georgia. Toney Elementary School is a Title One school in Dekalb County, Georgia with a mission to create a culture of high expectations by forging a collaborative bridge among home, school and community that supports the academic and social development of each student being competitive participant in a global society. “I thoroughly enjoyed speaking with these young folks about our BE A GIANT program," stated Mr. Brashear.

"It was one of the youngest audiences that I have addressed in recent years. I truly believe that the sooner we can plant the seed about respecting education and setting positive goals, in their young minds, it improves the likelihood of success and better life choices. Moreover, I am inspired by the wonderful job that Mr. Oliver Dean, and his staff, are doing with shaping these young precious minds. The youth need to understand that you always have a CHOICE of who carries the label of FRIEND in your life,” stated, Ron Brashear.

Each of the youth in attendance pledged to become GIANTS and all of them received a BE A GIANT wrist band and were encouraged to wear them proudly and practice the concepts that Mr. Brashear discussed in the presentation.  

To learn more about Toney Elementary School, please visit 

In an effort to raise funds to support our ongoing programs to inspire youth, the YOH team has turned to ARTWORK as one of the vehicles to provide something of tangible value to our supports while raising the necessary funds. 

As part of our YOH ART SERIES, we are offering the following unique opportunities to our supporters abroad.

'Champion of Peace' Limited Edition Muhammad Ali Print

We are very thankful to the CXK organization for allowing our organization to proceed forward with this limited edition print (Only sixty-one prints are available to correspond to the number of bouts that Muhammad Ali had in the ring as a professional prize fighter). 

This commemorative print is a true Collector’s Series Edition that will continue to accrue in market value around the world and as a personal family heirloom.  This is a one-time public offering which allows you to own this historic piece of art while knowing that a portion of your purchase supports the Youth of Honor Be A Giant program and we invite you to take advantage of this opportunity by either clicking on the image or clicking on this link.

MLK Commemorative Print

It is with great honor and exceeding esteem that through a partnership with the Eugene Poole Gallery, LLC, Youth of Honor presents the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  'Prophet of Hope' commemorative print series which honors the legacy of a Civil Rights pioneer who is the first and only African-American to be memorialized and permanently enshrined on the National Mall Tidal Basin in Washington, DC.  

“The Eugene Poole Gallery, LLC is honored to roll out the 2011 Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Print and partner with Ron Brashear and the Youth of Honor Foundation because Ron is a role model and a shining example of what can be achieved when you unselfishly commit and apply yourself to the betterment of mankind and community.  Youth of Honor's platform of self betterment for young At-Risk Youth and the "Be A Giant" campaign hallmark that commitment and illustrates Dr. King’s principle message of Love, Liberty, and Freedom,” stated Eugene Poole Jr, International Artist.

This is a unique offering which allows you to own this historic piece while knowing a portion of your purchase supports the Youth of Honor Be A Giant program and we invite you to take advantage of this opportunity by either clicking on the image or clicking on this link.