YEADON, Pa. (KYW Newsradio) — W. Keith Williams II is someone who believes strongly in youth advocacy. He works with youth organizations and speaks often at schools, but sometimes he encounters young people in the wrong place — a courtroom. Williams is a Delaware County district judge, and he says, through his volunteer work he’s trying to prevent those encounters.
“It's been my experience that unfortunately, sometimes kids just don't have proper direction. They don't understand the importance of setting goals and having a plan to achieve these goals,” Williams said.
He is hoping to help young people find that kind of direction through his volunteer work with an organization called Men on Mission.
“If we can just inspire some kids, support them, encourage them — that would be awesome. And we'll continue to do that,” Williams said.
Dr. Eric Becoats, superintendent of the William Penn School District, started Men on Mission last year after a series of fights broke out at Penn Wood High School's Yeadon campus. Now the organization encourages the community, especially Penn Wood alumni, to step up and get involved to help.
Volunteers and school district staff come to the school to help create a better environment for students by greeting them in the hallways, showing their support and encouraging a focus on learning.
“The program is just an opportunity for men who are from the community, people who graduated from Penn Wood High School, to show up during the school day, preferably in the morning, to greet kids to let them know that we are interested in their well being, offer some advice, encouragement,” Williams explained.
Williams, himself, is a Penn Wood graduate — Class of 1983 — and with his help and his connections, the program has evolved and grown.
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“Students who may be interested in law or business or whatever — they will come in, we will sit down and talk with them on a one on one basis. And that was really productive, because kids got a chance to relax, and ask questions that were key to what they wanted to do in the future,” he said.
The program is always looking for more volunteers to help shape young lives, and Williams said he has been able to recruit several new mentors to join.
“I reached out to some of my classmates and people that I knew, who actually graduated from Penn Wood, doing pretty well in their own professions, and they also have agreed to come and speak with the kids. So we've kind of created a series of speakers to come in, to enlighten, inspire, and support the kids,” he said.
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Williams says he wants to inspire even more people to get involved. He says having an early influence in young people’s lives is essential.
“You know, sometimes in my position as a judge, I sit on the opposite side of the bench, obviously, and while it's important for me to administer justice in a fair and equitable way, it's also important — even more important — to try to make sure that we get to our kids early enough to try to prevent them from coming into the courtroom in the first place,” he said.
“So it has to be a balanced approach. That's the reason why I'm a part of it. And that's the reason why I think it's been so positive and so important for our community.”