Choices
Youth Program
What is Choices?
CHOICES aims to influence urban community schools through the insights of positive role models who are usually both former athletes and ex-offenders. These mentors address critical thinking and social challenges, providing real-life solutions and encouraging students to make impactful CHOICES.
Our mission is to build awareness among High School athletes and students, providing them with strategies to navigate life’s challenges effectively. Our speakers share personal experiences and solutions, guiding students towards positive life decisions.
CHOICES programs are currently run in high schools in Bridgeport and Waterbury.
CHOICES is built on the belief that real impact comes from real experiences. By bringing in mentors who have faced challenges firsthand and turned their lives around, the program creates a level of honesty and relatability that resonates with students in a meaningful way.
Through direct conversation and lived perspective, CHOICES connects with students where they are. It goes beyond theory, offering guidance that feels real, practical, and applicable to everyday life, helping students see new possibilities and make more intentional decisions moving forward.
About The Program
Involved Schools
777 Main Street
Bridgeport, CT 06604
300 Pierpont Road
Waterbury, CT 06805
What Parents Can Expect
Open dialogue about progress, participation, and areas of growth.
A structured approach that encourages responsibility and better decision-making.
Supportive mentorship that reinforces respect, discipline, and personal development.
Tools and conversations that translate into better choices outside the program.
Testimonial
“Working with the CHOICES Team, and having this program thrive in our school is a large reason why our suspension rate has significantly declined, why our chronic absenteeism rate has declined, and as to why student-athletes serve as leaders within the building. Student-athletes are now change agents, and difference makers.”
— Michael Veronneau, Crosby High School Principal
Built Around Better Decisions
The Choices Program is centered on helping individuals understand the impact of their decisions and take control of their future. It focuses on real-life situations, encouraging participants to think through consequences, recognize patterns, and make more intentional choices moving forward.
Through guided discussion and practical insight, the program creates a space for reflection, accountability, and growth. Choices is about building awareness, developing stronger decision-making skills, and creating a path toward more positive and productive outcomes.
As Seeen in SOS Magazine
In July 2025, the CHOICES program was featured in SOS Magazine (Edition 32), highlighting the impact of its message and the importance of reaching students through real, lived experiences. The feature emphasized how CHOICES connects with young people by addressing the realities they face and encouraging them to think critically about their decisions.
The article also recognized the value of mentorship from individuals who have overcome challenges themselves, reinforcing the program’s mission to guide students toward more positive paths. Being included in SOS Magazine reflects the growing recognition of CHOICES as a meaningful and influential program within the community.
Greenwich Free Press Article
Formerly Incarcerated People Share Experiences with Greenwich Teens, “Hang Time” Breeds Love, Second Chances in Life
By Rai Sandhu, Greenwich High School class of 2025
The CHOICES and Hang Time programs were recently highlighted in an article by Greenwich Free Press, showcasing their impact on students in Greenwich. During a powerful in-person session, mentors shared real-life experiences with teens, creating an emotional and eye-opening conversation that went far beyond a typical presentation.
