Founded to serve youth most vulnerable to entering the juvenile justice system, Life Skool empowers young individuals to build stronger futures.
Life Skool is a youth development nonprofit organization that provides dynamic mentoring and behavioral health services to youth and families in need. We serve but are not limited to students who are most vulnerable to entering the juvenile justice or adult correctional system. We believe that every young person has the potential to become leaders in their families, careers, environments, and beyond.
Our target population is identified through family involvement, school discipline, foster care, child protective services and the community supervision system. The average Life Skool students come from socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods, single-parent homes, and cultures of hardship, often resulting in unstable behaviors based on survival and antisocial tendencies. Our focus is to eliminate the challenges and barriers that factor into most students entering the juvenile justice system or dealing with behavioral health needs. Life Skool aims to disrupt this cycle by developing three principal skills: Leadership Identification, Self-Empowerment, and Conflict Resolution. Studies have shown that developing these skills can reduce the appeal of criminal activity and prevent a revolving door in the criminal justice system while allowing students to discover who they are to live purposeful lives.
Life Skool was founded and established in 2020 by Mr. Darius Pettway as a program aimed at breaking the cycle of incarceration by intervening in the lives of youth who are most vulnerable to entering the juvenile justice or adult correctional system. Through innovative developmental leadership programs, mental health services, mentoring, empowering conferences, and opportunities for career pathway opportunities, Life Skool has challenged and developed students to become the best version of themselves by way of family reunification, college acceptance, improved academic performance, reduced behavioral referrals, first job opportunities and many other life-changing events that cultivates hope and securing a promising adult livelihood. Life Skool has played a significant role in shaping policies and practices related to juvenile justice reform, emphasizing rehabilitation, prevention, and the overall well-being of young adults involved in the system. Our work continues to evolve as society’s understanding and willingness to act on juvenile justice issues deepens and as efforts to reform the system progress to restore hope and opportunity to young adults far beyond their early stages of life.
Life Skool T-Shirt
Support our mission and help create leaders of today! By purchasing Life Skool merchandise, you’re doing more than buying a hoodie or t-shirt—you’re investing in programs that empower young people to discover who they truly are and unleash their inner leader. Every purchase helps fund transformative mentoring and behavioral health services that guide youth toward self-discovery and leadership identification. Visit our store today and wear your commitment to shaping brighter futures, because true change starts with you!
Join Us For Our Next Youth Leadership Conference
Over 1.2 million students drop out of High School in the United States every year; this number means that one student every 26 seconds, or 7,000 students per day, does not complete High School. In addition, U.S. High School dropouts commit 75% of all crimes, and out of that population, roughly 95% will return to their respective communities. Knowing this problem needs solutions, we must work to Create Youth Leaders Of Today!
Class of 2019 Life Skool Youth Leadership Conference
Sponsored By: Walls Of Life Publishing
Students Served
- 20 Students Ages 7-18
- Cabin Style Logging
- 3 Nights 8 Meals
- Unlimited Beverages/Snacks
- Personalized Uniforms
- Conference Curriculum
Camp Activities
- Lead The Lion
- 5:30am PT Training/Team Bonding (Daily)
- Picnic Bon Fire Pit
- Lake Sports (Paddle Boats/ Canoes)
- Outdoor Pool and slide
- AMC Team Movie
Community Engagement
- VNA Meals on Wheels
- South Dallas
- Served over 50 Families
- Healthy Snack Packs
Help us give youth the tools they need to succeed. Your donation supports mentoring, education, and life-changing resources.
Join our mission to empower youth and build stronger communities. You can make a difference by donating, volunteering, or giving goods to support vital resources and programs. Every contribution is tax-deductible and deeply appreciated.