Local organization planting seeds of change one teen at a time

At WCPO, we are continuing our Search for Solutions, focusing on youth violence in Cincinnati and the groups looking to empower our youth to take positive paths and disrupt the pipeline to prison.

One non-profit said their “Transformation Camp” is not only a positive disrupter, it’s the start of a fruitful adult life.

"Just encouraging [teens] on the positive side, we see transformation in that area alone," said Executive Director of Super Seeds Candice Tolbert.

She said a few days can change a whole life. And her teens are living proof.

We first met Tolbert at our Community Conversation in downtown Cincinnati when not one but several teens, like 17-year-old Jevion Byrd, said Tolbert and her program had changed their lives.

We stopped by the organization for what they have dubbed “Super Week,” a way for teens to receive ongoing training as they act as ambassadors for their communities.

"I actually came through the program, through the court. I came for the first day, and then I didn't come the second day. But I'm happy I didn't come the second day because I came a couple weeks later... when they had just started the ambassador stuff, and they just liked me. And [Candice] asked me, did I want to come work with them," Byrd said.

Like all the youth in the ambassador program, teens like Byrd and Lilli Wright started at the two-day “Transformation Camp.”

"They just give us good advice," said Wright.

The camp is a learning opportunity of sorts. Instead of sitting at home suspended from school, Super Seeds uses that time to reform, restore and re-direct young lives.

"So for example, we take a child that had a fight and they're suspended for 10 days. What does that really teach them? Where is the de-escalation, the anger management, conflict resolution training to get them back into the classroom? And that's what the camps do," Tolbert said.

Twice a month they take about a dozen teens ages 13 to 17 to the Hamilton Justice Center to interview a judge, witness the in-take process and speak to inmates.

Then, it’s time to tour a local college to discuss career goals, scholarships and ways to get there.

They even visit UC Medical Center to talk about guns, drugs, trauma and violence, with an emphasis on life-saving techniques like CPR.

"When [teens] they come in our doors, they are extremely broken in spirit. They don't care anymore. They've kind of given up hope. Nobody's encouraging them. They can't participate in a lot of activities in school because of their behavior. So when they walk in our door and we say, 'You still have value, you still have worth' their eyes open up, because nobody's told them that before, and then to invite them to be a part of this journey to be an ambassador," Tolbert said.

According to the data, the camp works.

From 2016 to 2023, 754 teens attended the camp and 72% of the court referrals have not returned with additional court cases.

"So from that experience, we realized 28% did come back. And so from that we started an Ambassador Program to be able to provide wraparound services for those youth that went through the 'Transformation Camp' but need additional support and training," she said.

Free from the system, Super Seeds ambassadors like Byrd and Wright say they can forget the past and focus on the future instead.

"I've learned a lot. I feel like they really just teach us life," said Wright.

To learn more about Super Seeds and how you can help click here .