The Dewight E. Patton Jr. Foundation

The Dewight E. Patton Jr. Foundation was initially conceived in 2010 and named Youth Empowered to Succeed. The initial concept was formed as the result of concerns experienced by three siblings. Their concern focused on the lack of hope and direction that youth had within the community and what they could do to help improve the future outlook for this generation. The siblings set out on a mission to empower youth to succeed through mentoring. Each sibling focused on developing and implementing strategies that re-directed behavior and re-framed the thought processes of teens from negative and destructive to positive and constructive. The Foundation bears the name of the oldest male sibling, Dewight E. Patton Jr. (deceased). The name of the organization was changed with the incorporation in 2012 to "The Dewight E. Patton Jr. Foundation" to preserve the legacy of Dewight and continue the work he began with his siblings. His life exemplified leading the lives of youth to a better way.

The Dewight E. Patton Jr. Foundation believes that cultivating character in youth is critical for their success in home, school and communities. Cultivating character involves the development of important skills. These skills are what some term as life skills, soft skills, or social and emotional competencies. Life skills are needed for youth to be successful in school, to secure and retain employment, live happy and fulfilling lives and to be engaged and responsible citizens. The mastery of the soft skills are critical in our current social climate. Our goal is for teens to acquire the soft skills in a safe and fun environment.

With the use of evidence-based curricula our work focuses on prevention and intervention strategies to help re-direct behavior and re-frame the thought process from negative and destructive to positive and constructive. The focus of our programs contributes to building character, integrity and accountability in youth.

Youth acquire the skills and tools for:
- Responsible decision making
- Self-awareness
- Managing emotions and behavior
- Anger management
- Conflict resolution
- Personal respect
- Self Control