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The
inmates of Greenhaven recently donated $5,000 to the
World Trade Center relief fund with revenue 
generated from a NFTE-created enterprise, The Clic
Club, a photo business owned and operated by young
offenders in for life.
Marcus
Gallegos' release from Log Cabin last May was
fraught with near disasters. While on parole, he was
caught smoking marijuana. Last summer, Gallegos was
expelled from BIZ CAMP at Stanford University's
Business School, where he threatened a NFTE teacher.
It
also changed his life.
"Everyone
told me I was smart," he said. "My
teachers told me I did a great job on my business
plan, which was required to graduate. When I left
Stanford, it made me think I could not take things
for granted. I can't let my old life habits change
things that are happening."
Taking
anger management classes, the young offender managed
to avoid any further lock-up time. Last Christmas,
he and his partner and friend Marcus Oliver, another
Log Cabin graduate, were invited to lead a three-day
NFTE BIZ CAMP at Log Cabin for 15 inmates. In class,
students learned how to negotiate with wholesalers,
write a business plan and manage a checking account.
Just
last month, both youth leaders received a $1,500
grant from Youth Initiatives, a nonprofit agency
working with inner-city kids. Recently, two parolees
of Log Cabin asked Marcus Gallegos for help setting
up their own legitimate businesses.
"So
many of our young people are disconnected from
opportunities and options available to them from our
economic system," said Jim Hayes, former CEO of
Junior Achievement, an organization educating kids
in economic literacy. "For many, the only
example is playing professional basketball or
selling drugs."
Marcus
Gallegos wants to start his own record store within
the next few years.
"I
don't want my old ways messing things up for me
anymore," he said.
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