Rite of Passage celebrates 25 years of changing lives

To celebrate 25 years of operation, Lawrence Howell, executive director of Minden-based Rite of Passage, shared a success story of a former student.

He told a gathering at Bently's Ferris Park on July 31 about a Hispanic gang member from California named Jeremy Estrada, who entered the youth development program as a teen.

"He spent two years in the program," Howell said. "He never gave up. He's an example of what our kids can become if they focus in the right direction."

Howell said Estrada first came to Rite of Passage with the street-fed notion that a drug dealer, with guns and money, held the highest place in society. But by the end of the program, though, the troubled teen had a new ideal, that solid education and college degree were the most powerful weapons in society.

Now, 12 years later, Estrada is a doctor specializing in pediatric cardiology. He worked his way up through the university system, earning scholarships and ultimately graduating from Georgetown's School of Medicine.

"Jeremy's middle name was Raider, because his dad was a huge Raiders fan," Howell said. "When he became a doctor, people had never seen a Hispanic, tattooed doctor named Raider before."

Howell said Estrada's success story is one of many that belong to Rite of Passage. What started as a small program for at-risk youth near the Pine Nut Mountains in 1984, has grown into a national operation with more than 1,200 students from across the country, and with more than 900 employees.

"We're now a nationwide company based in Minden, and we're proud to be Nevada-based and proud to work with Nevadans," Howell said.

"There's a tradition in this state of ROP filling a niche treatment," said Douglas County Chief Juvenile Probation Officer Scott Shick, who later read a proclamation from Gov. Jim Gibbons honoring the program's 25 years.

Shick said he worked for Rite of Passage for 16 years before leading the county's program. He said the staff at Rite of Passage is responsible for its success.

"It's the staff's dedication to the mission, to get kids on their feet and out of the system," Shick said.

"Staff members are excited to go to work; they enjoy their work because they're changing lives," Howell added.

About 100 Rite of Passage students from both Nevada and California facilities attended the celebration on July 31. They had spent the day participating in the annual Run, Ride, Swim, Survive event, which included a 6.4-mile run, a 26-mile bike ride, and a 500-meter swim.

The students received awards for the competition, and a handful of them also received the accolades of successful graduation.

"For some of the kids, this is the most fun day they'll ever have," Howell said. "It's one of the few days they're recognized publicly for all their achievements:"

Seventeen-year-old Silver Springs resident Zackery, whose last name is being withheld, spent 11 months in the program.

"Before I came, I had a major problem with authority," he said. "I had a serious anger problem; I used to get in fights and get arrested all the time."

Zackery described his time with Rite of Passage. He not only caught up on high school credits, but learned to scuba dive and fly an airplane. He also participated in Alpine County's Death Ride and competed at the state level in wrestling.

Now, Zackery plans to finish high school and to join the U.S. Army as an aviation warrant officer.

"If it weren't for ROP, I wouldn't be able to do any of this stuff," he said. "I'd probably be locked up somewhere."

Zackery said he's now able to cope with his anger and to deal with the world in a mature fashion.

"ROP staff is the main reason I got through this," he said.

For more information about Rite of Passage, visit www.riteofpassage.com.