Dayton Gets Real: After-school program looking to offer boys hope, accountability

DAYTON — A non-profit has new tools to teach young men a strong work ethic.

The “Victory Project” opened up a new spot on Oak Ridge Drive this year to further help the community.

Program directors said the new building holds only their high school students and their original building focused on middle school-aged children.

“It allows us to be able to focus more on the development of our young men in that transitional stage of life focusing on careers, focusing on trades, you know, college, even just relationships,” Pete Davidson, program director of “Victory Project,” said.

Davidson has been a program director for two years.

With a second building, they now have more room and more activities for kids.

“Basketball is a big thing for us and it just allows us to be able to come together, work on teamwork, leadership, and also it works on controlling your temper, how to interact with other people, sportsmanship,” he said.

Lessons Davidson said many of these kids wouldn’t have access to it without Victory Project.

“Sometimes we have a lot of obstacles that come in the way whether it be in home or things that are out of these young men’s control,” he said.

Ke’Shawn Miller, also a program director at Victory Project, was born and raised in Dayton.

Growing up he didn’t have something like this to go to.

“A lot of our guys come from broken homes ... but they still come through with a good attitude, don’t make excuses for themselves, and actually show up for work,” Miller said.

Miller said every Saturday the guys meet up to do landscaping from early in the morning until late afternoon.

It’s meant to teach them the values of resilience, leadership, and hard work.

It is just one of the many life lessons they learn.

Miller and Davidson said that Victory Project gives the boys something to lose and goals to shoot for.

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