Since 1980, the Running Rebels Community Organization has been dedicated to developing Milwaukee’s youth mentally, physically and spiritually.

By offering a youth program that focuses on education and recreational activities, Running Rebels provides Milwaukee’s youth with positive alternatives to gangs and substance abuse. Victor Barnett, the founder of the 20 + year old organization states, "I wanted to provide an alternate outlet for the youths and help them out of trouble. I wanted to show them that someone does care about their needs."

For his efforts, Victor received one of channel 12's "12 WHO CARE" awards for his tireless work over the past years with the young men in the community. He has also been featured several times on WTMJ Channel 4's "Positively Milwaukee" for his unique and engaging programming.

 Through respect, teamwork and discipline, he has helped to mold hundreds of young men into responsible members of your society.Running Rebels programs for high risk youth include mentoring, tutoring, crisis stabilization, anger management, daily living skills, an after-school and summer safe and sound program and separate programs for serious chronic offenders and firearm offenders.Running Rebels also provides innovative programming to appeal to a broader cross- section of youth. These programs include a high-caliber AAU boys basketball team, a music instruction program and a youth entrepreneurial program which aims at developing skills and income-producing opportunities in the areas of lawn care, audio/visual and studio production, catering and T-shirt designing/distribution.

The RUNNING REBELS will continue to be active with Milwaukee’s youth, helping them to reach their highest potential.

Mentoring Program

Mentoring is a one-to-one service provided by mature adults to children and youth needing support, role modeling, guidance, and discipline. The mentor functions both as a positive role model and advocate for a youth in his/her family system and community. Clients are always matched with a mentor of the same gender and ethnic group. Mentors usually have had previous experience working with children and youth, and receive training in such issues as appropriate activities, boundaries, communication, family dynamics, discipline, and record keeping. Mentors are expected to establish good communication with parents or other caregivers, and spend some time with them on each visit. A mentor could be involved in a variety of activities with a youth. Some examples might be: recreational activities, school-related activities such as helping a youth with special assignments when the youth and family team believe it is appropriate, social skills and life skills development, peer/interpersonal relationship building, personal care/hygiene/exercise, increasing awareness of community resources, etc.

Firearms Program

The Firearms (FA) Program is a post-dispositional program funded by Milwaukee County through Milwaukee County Children’s Court Center. This program is designed to give extra supervision, above and beyond that of the probation department, to youth who have a non-violent gun offense. Firearms offences are among the most serious crimes heard in Children’s Court and therefore the youth who committed these crimes must be monitored more closely in the community. A gun offence usually carries a one year sentence in a Wisconsin Correctional facility.  Many of the youth who enter this program have a stayed commitment to corrections and if they fail to comply will end up serving a one year term. Youth in the FA program attend various groups, recreational activities and special events every month. Their attendance at these events is mandatory. 

FA youth must notify there monitor every time they leave the home and when they arrive back home.  Curfew checks are made for each youth in the program every night to insure they are where they are supposed to be.  Youth will be checked at each day in the school by there monitor to make sure they are in attendance.  These youth are held to these intense guidelines to help them become more responsible for their actions and to start taking responsibility for their own lives.  Youth will be in the FA program the entire time they are on probation.  When the youth successfully complete their probation they are treated to a graduation attended by the staff and all other youth in the FA program.  The graduation ceremony includes dinner, recognition fro each graduates monitor and a certificate of completion.  The FA program has been in existence for nine years and has an 80% success rate among the youth served.  This is quite an accomplishment considering the intensity of the services provided.  In addition, efforts are underway to evaluate the FA Program with the goal of establishing project as an OJJDP model program.

Youth Advocacy Program

Since January 1998 Running Rebels has received funding from the Office of Justice Assistance (through Milwaukee County) to implement a community-based mentoring program called the Youth Advocacy Program (YAP). It was designed to serve up to 45 youth a year labeled by the court as serious chronic offenders. Each youth is at least 12 years old and is court-ordered into the program. Goals of the program include reducing the number of minority youth in corrections, helping each youth to fulfill his/her court conditions, to avoid all law violations, to improve school attendance and GPA, and to engage in positive alternative activities.

Each participant is assigned an advocate who works a minimum 13 hours a week to provide support and guidance, and regular group meetings address anger management, life skills, AODA education, and positive alternative activities. The underlying premise of the Youth Advocacy Program is that even the most troubled youth have compensating strengths and capabilities that can be developed and enhanced with supervision, structure, and support. Success is defined as a positive program completion, not re- offending, and not having to be placed in corrections.

Youth Entrepreneurship Program

This program exposes youth to a variety of money-making opportunities in lawn care, catering, child care, studio/music production, T-shirt design, snow removal, and odd jobs.

Program Goals:

1) improvement in school attendance;
2) increased knowledge of vocational opportunities and development of vocational goals;
3) attainment of interview skills;
4) increased understanding of the relationship between vocational success and personal choices;
5) increased GPA;
6) increased knowledge of the different aspects of business; and
7) increased self-esteem, cultural pride, and a sense of community.

In addition, staff work with those youth who can be helped to identify career and vocational skills by moving them through a five-stage process that includes

1) career motivation and desire and identification of a preferred field of interest;
2) career and vocational exposure within the preferred field of interest;
3) career and vocational skill development in the preferred field of interest;
4) job shadowing in the preferred field of interest; and
5) job placement (employment) within the preferred field of interest.

Running Rebels Entertainment Group

Soon to be a flourishing entity for networking and entertainment for Milwaukee and surrounding areas, The Running Rebels Entertainment Group has rubbed shoulders with numerous music industry artists, celebrities and business persons alike. Many of these encounters have allowed us to create a combination of services that will ultimately produce success for an individual or group of people. Where else can you find most of what you’ll need for any given entertainment project. From multimedia needs to artist development, promotions, event planning, performances and disc jockeying amongst others, you’ll find it with this entertainment group. No longer is there a need to venture to several companies, it can all be located in a professional, dedicated and experienced assembly of people as the Running Rebels Entertainment Group at affordable rates.

Basketball Program

Staff and Personnel

6th Grade: Coach Shelby Parish (414) 788-3272
 
7th Grade: Coach Dell Williams (414) 628-4483
 
8th Grade: Coach Demetrius Moore (414) 839-9954
 
9th Grade: Coach Dell Williams (414) 628-4483

Assistant Coaches

Coach Anwar “Ward” Jenkins (414) 788-3063
 
Coach LaNelle “Jo Jo” Ramey  (414) 397-3474
 
Parent Coordinator – Randall Logan (414) 803-3557
 
Program Director – Nate Cooper (414) 788-4322