Operation Turnaround is a program in Clarksville for youth at risk. This program has been taking place at Maaco on New Providence Blvd. every Saturday morning from 8 to 11 a.m. since July 2008.
The goal of this program is to take young kids from the court system and teach them social skills, listen to them and be there for them.
Mitch Rollins, an APSU adjunct professor and creator of Operation Turnaround said, “These kids have fundamental needs, such as food and water, but we give them belongingness, love and self-esteem.”
His hopes are to spread what they learn here to their social life and friends they hang out with, eventually bringing the crime rate down and making Clarksville and better place for all of us.
Grant a junior at Rossview High school said, “I started three weekends ago and I am learning a lot from it.”
Grant is one of the many students that currently work on a ‘59 Pontiac Catalina for Project ‘59.
Saturday, Oct. 10 was the kick-off of this project. After fully restoring the Catalina, the coordinators of Project Turnaround will sell the vehicle next October in Las Vegas at “The World’s Greatest Collector Car Auction.” Afterwards, 100 percent of the selling price will go back into Operation Turnaround.
Rollins’ analogy was that of the ‘59 Pontiac Catalina and the students. The Pontiac was wrecked and nobody wanted it. He wanted to get the students who are in trouble to engage themselves in this project to fix the old Pontiac as well as fixing themselves.
Mike a 17-year-old home school student said, “I wanted to take it as a punishment at first, but now I see it as a reward.” Allen wants to pursue this work in the army in the future.
The staff of Maaco helps these students learn how to work on cars and assigning them specific jobs. Some of these kids are there on their own. They have already completed what they needed to through the legal system, but are there now because they want to be.
Operation Turnaround receives support from the Police Department, Lowes and O’Reilly Auto Parts.
The students of Operation currently have about eight major steps done with the ‘59 Pontiac Catalina and plan to begin work on an old Harley Davidson Motorcycle.
EDITOR’S NOTE:
The last names of the two high school students interviewed for this story were withheld because they are minors.
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