Ladon

Bounced from one living situation to the next throughout his childhood due to family circumstances no child should endure, Ladon had little hope for his future. With multiple referrals to juvenile court, Ladon’s life was destined for tragedy. But in 2006 at the age of 14, through a referral from the Department of Juvenile Justice, he entered one of AWOL’s first programs; an 8-week workshop entitled, Mouth Off, which taught youth how to write and perform poetry while also increasing their literacy skills. His mentor, Tony Jordan saw his incredible talent and thirst for writing and performance. Thanks to AWOL, Ladon was able to successfully complete his probation with no new referrals to juvenile court. Ladon is now 19 years old and works a full-time job in Savannah but still makes time to come to AWOL’s monthly youth poetry slam.