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"Our Mission ...is to improve the quality of life for at-risk youth in the inner city of Philadelphia and surrounding counties with emphasis placed on education, psychotherapy, and social skills. We strive to Help Other People Excel to better our communities for generations to come."
About Us
Karen Jackson (CEO)
Karen Jackson (CEO)
The death of my son and my life journey inspired me to start this non-profit. My goal is to help stop teenagers from making the same mistakes I made.
I started experimenting with drugs in high school. I went from smoking marijuana to snorting cocaine, and by the time I turned nineteen yrs old, I was smoking crack.
I struggled with my addiction for many years, and I also walked the streets many years. My children were taken from me.
I was homeless because of my addiction.
I went from using drugs to selling drugs. I tried to hide my activities from my children, but I didn't do a good job of it. Everything came to a halt once the police raided my home looking for drugs and I was arrested in front of my children.
I did the best I could to raise my children but I failed my son. He was introduced to the streets at an early age, and by the time he turned fourteen, I lost control of him. He was getting in trouble in school and with the police. He was sixteen when his criminal activities caught up with him and he was placed in a juvenile facility.
Then in December 2007, my son, George L. Cannon II, was tragically murdered during a drug-related incident on the streets of Philadelphia.
I'm using my story to motivate others to change, along with giving them the information necessary to make better choices in life. Now it's all about giving back and showing some LOVE.
RESILIENCY is what got me through.
Michelle L. Rogers, Ph.D. is an associate professor in the College of Computing and Informatics at Drexel University.
For more than 15 years, Dr. Rogers has been using human factors engineering methods and socio-technical systems theory to study the impact of health information technology (HIT) on clinical workflow and the usability of technology with and by medically underserved populations.
Most recently, Dr. Rogers has been working on several projects investigating the usability and utility of patient portals accessing their electronic medical records. Internationally, she has been studying the use of HIT in global public health, Uganda in particular.
Dr. Rogers has received funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and American Diabetes Association (ADA), as well as several teaching awards at Drexel University.
Dr. Rogers holds graduate degrees in Industrial Engineering from the University of Wisconsin - Madison and undergraduate degrees in electrical engineering from Spellman College and Georgia Tech.
Carl is a Graduated from Mount Senario College in Ladysmith Wisconsin with a BS in Music Education. After college, Carl auditioned for the United States Army Band and was accepted into the prestigious Armed Forces School of Music, located in Norfolk Virginia. Carl retired from The United States Army Band Europe in 1995. Working as a Music teacher in Delaware, and Philadelphia counties, he realized that there was a need to assist students in urban areas with “coping skills”.
In 1997, Carl took a job as a Coordinator at Sleighton School in Delaware County Pennsylvania. Sleighton School was a co-ed school for court-adjudicated youth from Philadelphia Pa. Sleighton lost its program contract. Carl and the Coordinating Staff decided to write a program for the students of Sleighton School. The school closed because of lack of funding.
In 2001 Carl received his first masters’ in Forensic Psychology from Madison University. In 2001, Carl and a Colleague developed COPE for LIFE. COPE for LIFE is a cognitive, educational program for adults and adolescents. Until recently, there was no way to measure the psychometrics of individual's commitment to change effectively.
In 2013, Carl received his second masters’ in Applied Behavior Analysis. Carl has worked for agencies as a Behavior Specialist Consultant in Delaware, Delaware County, and Philadelphia County.
Recently, Carl and his colleague ran a pilot program for the GLC HOUSE of HOPE for Girls located in Philadelphia Pennsylvania. Utilizing contingency management and positive re-enforcement, they were able to foster positive change in eight adolescent girls. The attendance was seventy percent through-out the eight-week program which met on Saturday mornings and was a huge success.
Carl holds a BS in Music Education from Mount Senario College, a Masters’ in Forensic Psychology from Madison University, a Masters’ in Applied Behavior Analysis from Kaplan University, and a certified Family Development Specialist from the University of Iowa. Carl currently works for the government in Behavior Research.
Stephanie Daniel is a certified visual arts instructor for the School District of Philadelphia, and a certified tennis instructor and tennis coach for Legacy Youth Tennis and Education.
She has conducted classes for youth (boys and girls) in the City of Philadelphia for Etiquette and Personal Improvement for several churches and organizations for many years. Ms. Daniel is originally from Boston, Massachusetts.
Having lived in New York, Pittsburgh, PA and ultimately settling in Philadelphia, having traveled extensively and lived overseas, Ms. Daniel has learned from various communities, and cultures how important is for our young adults to present themselves in the best light possible, be confident and self-assured as they navigate through the maze of life.
Ms. Daniel holds a Bachelor's Degree from Marymount College in Tarrytown, New York and a Master's in Education from Saint Joseph's University.
Dr. Michelle Rogers
Drexel University
(College of Computing and Informatics)
Carl W. Wesley
(Psychologist)
