Second chance to 'be somebody.' How AMIkids Pensacola helps kids reach their potential

Jerome “JJ” Ross Jr., 18, had been kicked out of multiple schools and ended up in an alternative school, Camelot Academy of Escambia County, but still he wanted a second chance to "be somebody."

Ross, frustrated with the school system, learned from his mom about a program called AMIkids Pensacola intended to help youth see the potential in themselves others didn’t.

Now four weeks into the program, Ross feels he is not only seen, but has learned skills, made connections and set his sights on a better future.

“It's cool to me … they help because I actually get a second chance and most schools I came from, I didn't get a second chance at all. I kind of just got, like, a straight slap in the face, if I'm being honest,” Ross said. “So being here I can actually get caught up on my work faster."

Ross is one of 30 kids currently working in the program to open new doors in their lives after other avenues have been closed.

AMIkids Pensacola, founded in 1991, is a private nonprofit, staff-secure day treatment facility in Pensacola. It is a workforce development program funded by Youth Build, a community-based pre-apprenticeship program that provides job training and educational opportunities for at-risk youth ages 16-24 who have previously dropped out of high school. Other funding for AMIkids Pensacola is provided by the community from donors like the Bear Family Foundation, Switzer Foundation, Escambia County Sheriff's Office and other individuals and organizations.

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AMIkids helps with high school completion or GED completion while guiding youth through educational, vocational and career readiness curriculum. The educational component sees students taking classes in reading, math, science and social studies in the morning.

In the afternoon they go into vocational training, where students pursue industry certifications for trades and organizations like the National Center for Construction Education and Research, SafeStaff and ServSafe food handler certifications, carpentry, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and more.

The final component is career readiness training, where students are taught how to dress and conduct themselves professionally during job interviews and at the workplace.

After students leave the program, they are followed by AMIkids for two years to ensure they are stable and successful as they search for a job or go to another trade school.

AMIkids' new director and new direction

The past few years of COVID-19 have restricted how much AMIkids was able to provide for the students. There was an open executive director position, and after three months of deliberate and careful interviewing, Pierre Cotton was the one who was brought in to impart his own vision and passion to the program.

Cotton came from Vermont where he had been a teacher for 20 years. He was recently was an assistant principal at Poultney High School and made his way to Pensacola to take care of his father.

He said he believes in having a strong relationship with student personally and collectively, and said he wants them to trust him to train their mind and their thinking to change their life trajectory.

“One question I ask them is, ‘What got you here?’ ... ‘Did it work for you before?’” Cotton says to his students. “And some of them, this is their third time. So, what got you here and if it (didn’t) work before, why do you want to do it again?"

He asks them, "Are you willing to try a different way? (Do) you trust me enough to change you, and work with you to help you change yourself?”

What families can expect at AMIkids

The program runs from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. five days a week, six months at a time.

The day starts off with a meeting where students and staff discuss what they should expect from each other for the day. Cotton brings in guest speakers twice a week from organizations such as local churches, the Pensacola City Council, the American Red Cross and general contracting firms.

Each student is given an individualized Chromebook when they enter the program, as well as an assessment called Mental Toughness where they work through team-building challenges.

Recently, they finished an assessment where groups of eight to 10 students built stick replicas of houses on Pensacola Beach. Each student had their own idea of what to include and exclude in terms of color, size, shapes and more, and through it all they learned about different personality types and how they translate to the work force.

AMIkids Pensacola board member Laura Branch said every single student can unearth their gifts and talents by going through the AMIkids program, then reverse all of the stigma and stereotypes that have been shoved on them and come out with hope.

Branch said Cotton was the right fit for the job with his leadership, energy and his empathy for the students.

Cotton, made the bold statement that he wanted to have the best AMIkids program in the United States — there are almost 50 spread across the country — and Branch said the board believes it is possible with his direction.

Branch said society's emphasis on two- or four-year degrees has caused the importance of vocational skills to be lost. In her perspective, there is demand for truck drivers and carpenters, cooks and dishwashers and AMIkids will meet those needs.

“I think that AMI is gonna be the go-to alternative education option for kids in Pensacola that ... could not complete a traditional high school diploma and for that reason, come to us,” Branch said.

AMIkids students read their motto twice a day to affirm they are somebody and when they get knocked down by the world they will pick themselves up and keep fighting.

The last part of the creed states: “There has been and never will be another person exactly like me. When faced with troubles I will not give up or nor will I Quit. Why? Because I am unique and I am a winner, I am somebody. Thank you God for making me who I am.”

Ross, who has his sights set on completing certifications and going into a trade related to technology, plumbing or construction, said the program has helped with his anger issues and connected him with mentors who have helped him grow and given him inspiration when others gave up on him.

“It kinda actually makes me feel successful,” Ross said after finishing the creed. “You're saying it back and forth, it's kind of training me to be somebody.”

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: AMIkids Pensacola trains, mentors at risk-youth for careers, education