ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - Some students in East St. Louis Wednesday afternoon got a visit from some inmates.
It's all part of the '40 days of Non-Violence and Beyond' initiative.
The '40 days of Non-Violence and Beyond' initiative teaches kids about healthy relationships, boundaries and more.
On Wednesday, inmates at the St. Clair County Jail went to visits some student in East St. Louis to teach them about making better choices in life.
"Hopefully, it will show those students won't make some of the same decisions that the two inmates have made," said Joe Lewis Jr., Founder and Director of the program, which began in 2014.
Lewis Jr. says the program helps students learn about healthy relationships, boundaries, career readiness and a real life message about avoiding incarceration.
Lewis Jr. says they believe the benefits that will come out of the program include school behavior improves, grades go up and crime goes down.