PORTSMOUTH, Va. — A Portsmouth nonprofit is showing teens positive environments outside of their neighborhood and taking them on college trips.
Zion Clifton, one of several Portsmouth teens who went on a college tour trip to Virginia State University, says this program is needed.
"I can go to sleep and I hear gunshots. I’m like that’s just Portsmouth. I lost my best friend AJ to gun violence," Clifton said.
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The opportunities offered by the non-profit are all apart of the Joe Lee Hansley Foundation.
"It’s very enlightening. I’m happy I found Joe when I did. It’s taken us quite a few places. We’ve gone from Washington to Maryland. Then we went to Atlanta, that’s the most recent trip. We went to just about every school down there. We went to Morehouse and Clark Atlanta University," Clifton said.
"I met a lot of people who really changed my perspective when it comes to life after high school," Rozlyn Hansley, a teen said.
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Joe Lee Hansley, the founder says the goal of the program is for teens to:
"See that it can actually happen for them. That’s why we try to get them on campus so they can see what success looks like. We’re gonna meet you where you’re at, guide you, mentor you and get you to where you need to be," Hansley said.
If you would like to register your child or teen, click here.
