MOBILE, Ala. – Five local teens became the sixth class to complete Project Inspire, a hospital-based firearm injury prevention program designed to curb gun violence and recidivism among youth through intentional programming and mentorship in the Mobile community.

The teens were selected to participate in the semester-long program at USA Health University Hospital through a partnership with the James T. Strickland Youth Center. Since it was founded in 2017, Project Inspire has helped 25 teens see themselves through a new lens of empowerment.

“The first step to success is showing up; and this class went above and beyond to engage and truly get the full experience of Project Inspire. I’m so proud of each one of them,” said Project Inspire founder Ashley Williams Hogue, M.D., a trauma surgeon at USA Health University Hospital and an assistant professor of surgery at the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine. “Our graduates have big shoes to fill as those before them have done an excellent job of staying on the right track – the one that leads to success.”

The program seeks to equip participants with the tools and resources they need to reach their full potential. With a focus on education, exposure, and mentorship, students undergo a comprehensive curriculum comprising the pillars of confidence building, educational and professional development, financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and career-specific mentorship. All participants receive training and certification in Stop the Bleed and Basic Life Support, and assistance with resume creation and practice job interviews. Additionally, each class participates in a community service project.

“We want to expose them to as many fields as possible,” Williams Hogue said.

At the recent graduation celebration, the teens heard from motivational speakers Dwight Owens, who survived a car crash caused by a drunk driver, and Ishaunna Gully, who survived a domestic violence shooting.

“Shame keeps us from being who we are meant to be,” said Owens, an educator turned motivational speaker who was paralyzed in the 2005 accident. “In life, we learn to turn our pain into purpose.”

For more information about the program, visit the Project Inspire webpage.