Program sets at-risk youth on path for success

CHARLOTTE — A program in Charlotte, that focuses on film, television, and audio production, gives young people involved in the court system a second chance.

One of the participants at KRE8ivU told Channel 9′s Glenn Counts about her movie.

“It’s about this girl and she has psychosis,” said Caitlin McElroy. “And what she’s going through at home, and she’s struggling with a demonic presence.”

McElroy is starring in her own movie that she also wrote.

“I never really gotten into filmmaking, but it’s definitely something pretty interesting,” she said.

Douglas Green founded KRE8ivU eight years ago.

“The kids that we got, they have been in trouble,” he said. “Maybe have run away from home. They may have been skipping school. They may have got caught up getting into gang action.”

KRE8ivU has operated in other areas of North Carolina before coming to Charlotte last year.

“First of all, they are learning about different careers,” Green said.

Those careers are in lighting, audio production, and film and TV.

The kids have been referred to the program by the court system. One of the things they do is to use their life experiences in the stories they tell.

“The script, in some way form, or fashion, may not actually be what they said, but the feeling got included in the script,” Green said. “Now they feel like, ‘Wow, I matter.’”

Participants meet once a week.

“When they go back to the neighborhood, they are a little different,” Green said. “They have achieved something.”

KRE8ivU said the program helps 20 students a year in Mecklenburg County.

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