POLKTON, N.C. — A former prison is being transformed into a educational site, aiming at ending the cycle of intergenerational incarceration.
The 5&2 Trade School is at a former prison in Anson County. This is believed to be the first prison in the United States repurposed into a trade school.
The school will offer a free education for students who have or had a parent incarcerated, training in fields such as welding, automotive repair and culinary arts so they can transition into fruitful careers.
Cyril Prabhu is the founder of Proverbs226, a Charlotte-based nonprofit working to change the trajectory of young people's lives. He's credited with helping close nearly 20 prisons across the state.
Prabhu's nonprofit is operating the trade school.
He says these efforts, made possible by countless partners and volunteers, are giving more kids an opportunity to live a better life.
"Our idea here is to break the cycle by giving these kids a fighting chance," Prabhu said.
A number of reports show 85% of youth in prison come from fatherless homes.
Prabhu says this school is about changing that.
"Education is so crucial. There is a huge correlation between education and incarceration in this country. Education is one of the tools we can give to them," he said.
Prabhu says the school is also helping to fill labor shortages.
"I'm on a mission to save one million children from a future behind bars, and this school will help equip them with essential trade skills and real-world experience," he said in a separate statement.
Empowering youth to break intergenerational incarceration is close to Prabhu's heart. Like many youth, he grew up without a father.
But Prabhu says he beat the odds thanks to people being in his corner.
"There were a lot of people in my life that threw the rope to me, so it's time for me to throw the same rope for somebody else," he said.
The grand opening of the 5&2 Trade School campus is at 3 p.m. Saturday at 1019 Old Prison Camp Road in Polkton. The ceremony will include a renaming of Old Prison Camp Road to 101 Break the Cycle Drive.
The school is expected to open for its first round of students this fall, starting with 12 young men in the welding program.