Alvin Goode: Defying All Odds
LOVEtheLOU’s youth mentorship program, STL | LIFT, is filled with stories of individuals who are headed towards a bright future. STL | LIFT has, and will continue, to shed light on brighter paths for the youth of North St. Louis that don’t have the same opportunities as many other people growing up.
The story of Alvin Goode’s fate is a unique one, because it continues to grow and develop into something much more beautiful than reaching the next stepping stone in life.
Alvin lost his mother as a child approximately six years ago. That means that six years ago, the odds increased for Alvin to become another negative statistic of North St. Louis.
Entering high school, Alvin was heading into more and more adversity.
As Alvin Goode walked into his hearing at Cleveland Njrotc Academy as a sophomore, he was unsure of where his academic career lied. A certain decision landed him a 180-day suspension and this hearing.
Alvin was given two options. He could attend an alternative school, or he could choose to enroll at Sumner High School. He chose to go to Sumner High School.
A couple of years ago, we stepped into Alvin’s life and began passing resources down to him.
LOVEtheLOU Director Lucas Rouggly said, “Alvin had very little direction and very little confidence. He wasn’t confident in school or athletics. Joining up with the program has given him confidence.”
While STL | LIFT is the youth mentorship arm of LOVEtheLOU, it also operates at a capacity to employ its students, including Alvin. There are multiple businesses that we have partnered with that are willing to extend more work to STL | LIFT students as we recommend them. Because of how far he has come, Alvin is at the top of that list.
Lenny Barber, one of the two youth program managers of STL | LIFT, had this to say about Alvin's development, “To be willing to help others, step up and lead in many situations, and to not only survive, but to triumph, this truly speaks to his character.”
Since being in the program…
his GPA has increased.
he began playing drums for his church.
he made the football team.
he has built an insurmountable level of confidence.
he has developed a family within LOVEtheLOU that will always be there for him.
This summer, we have paired Alvin with an owner of a property management company in St. Louis, Mike Conway.
“It’s just another way to support LOVEtheLOU,” Conway said. “I want to help keep these kids off the streets by giving them a job. The only way we are going to fix the division in St. Louis is through economic opportunity.”
Mike has provided Alvin with a summer-long landscaping opportunity, and during this, Alvin will also be able to develop property management and entrepreneurial skills. Mike has actually put Alvin in charge of a couple of his properties, so Alvin will be able to develop as leader and young man as well.
Also, Alvin is going into his senior year of high school, and he is getting letters from colleges about football.
Lenny put it best when he said, “What I’m most excited about is that the ink has yet to dry on Alvin’s story.”
We are just getting started with his book, and the chapters are already amazing.