Youth Unlimited approach reaches teens

AUSTIN (KXAN) - The class is held in a corner of a library, where you may miss the class entirely. But you can't miss the booming voice of Richard Franklin.

Franklin's message of problem-solving is reaching the ears of LBJ High School students in a unique program called Youth Unlimited.

"It is a group motivational program that makes these young men to understand how they have to connect success to education," said Franklin, the president of Youth Unlimited.

The goal is to encourage these students, so they are ready to learn when they go into a classroom.
Lessons revolve around critical thinking and doing the right thing.

Students said Franklin's method has increased their desire to learn.

"I'm not a reader, and he gave us a book to read. And I actually read that book,” said LBJ High School freshman Robert Edwards. “It's the first book that I've read in a whole year. He encouraged me to do things that I don't normally do."

While Youth Unlimited was introduced to all ninth-graders at LBJ High School, only a few showed up at first. However, the project has since grown to include 22 young men.

Students said the big teaching difference between regular teachers and Franklin is that he speaks to them in a way that they understand.

"He takes time to make sure that everybody understands what he's talking about,” said Edwards.

"I'm going where they are,” said Franklin. “We start talking about how to get out of a hole…a piece of critical thinking. They live critical lives, but they stop thinking. So, we start making them understand the thought process comes in."

LBJ is the only Austin Independent School District school offering Youth Unlimited, though Franklin and his partner also teach this program in the Hearn Independent School District.

He said test scores of participants have increased, and his students said they believe the program has changed their lives.

"I have good grades right now," said Edwards.