Anson County invests in the education of youth who have an incarcerated parent

POLKTON — Following the wisdom of Israel’s former King Solomon, Cyril Prabhu founded Proverbs 22:6, a non-profit prison ministry with the belief that to, ‘Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he shall not depart from it.’

Proverbs 22:6 Ministry aims to provide for and educate the children of those incarcerated. Commissioners JD Bricken, Jamie Caudle, and Polkton town council representative Clifton Martin III came to tour the soon-to-be renovated facility with Cyril Prabhu, lead designer Yvonne Philip, and Associate Warden V of Operations and Custody William Rogers. The former Anson County Correctional Center is being renovated to house the 5 & 2 Trade school, designed to educate children with an incarcerated parent.

“This school will be the first of its type ever in the United States,” boasted Martin, overwhelmingly proud to be able to provide the children of those with a parent incarcerated, with one of the most valuable keys to success, an education.

“A lot of people think this is for juvenile delinquents and it has nothing to do with that… but when inmates go to prison their kids are suffering and can’t afford everything… this is when this program (Proverbs 22:6) steps in,” explains Rogers, adding, “These are kids with no criminal background.”

Prabhu agrees, stating, “This program is not for those who are able to go to college on their own.”

Martin has thrown his support fully behind the 5 & 2 Trade School, sharing, “The goal is to get all these kids into the work force in Anson County. We have a lot of supportive backers making this a great thing for the county.”

“The property has been empty for several years… the state sold the property to Proverbs 22:6 for a dollar,” shares Martin, which is a great investment in not only Anson County but in the training of children who through no fault of their own have been deprived of their parent, stability in life, and an education. The non-profit organization seeks to open doors previously closed to these underprivileged, often neglected youth, providing them with a future and a positive direction in life.

Prabhu said that in addition to teaching kids a trade, “We will be teaching them to respect their elders, the importance of being on time and having a good work ethic. The thought process is that every kid that comes through will go to work when the program is completed.”

The first group of kids is the test group for the non-profit organization, consisting at first of 25 children who are expected to begin their education in the summer of 2024.

“The first year the state will have to see one full batch of kids go through the program before they will credit this as a trade school,” informs Prabhu. “We will be offering culinary arts, vertical farming, welding, auto body, media and digital arts, home repair maintenance and plumbing training.”

Commissioner JD Bricken is particularly thrilled as “Anson County is lacking in the amount of skilled trade workers… often residents have to wait longer for service or go outside the county,” he said.

“We are working with Joe Gibbs Racing with the goal of one day building a car here to compete in NASCAR,” shares Prabhu, looking around optimistically at the former inmate dormitory, now re-imagined as a race shop.

Students will start by learning the basics of mechanics, “AC certification, tire changing, and oil and fluid changes,” proudly lists Prabhu.

The Culinary Arts program will be working hand-in-hand with an on sight vertical farm as 5 & 2 Trade School will encourage farm to table food preparation. A café will one day be on campus, providing food and coffee prepared by students.

Prabhu hopes to collaborate with as many local businesses as he can, bringing in 7-8 different contracting companies to work on renovating the property. Each building is independent from another, allowing different contractors to come in and assist in the rebuilding process.

Statistics show there is an 82% probability that a child with a parent in prison will also end up in the prison system. Proverbs 22:6 strives to stand in the gap, working tirelessly to break the cycle and lower this alarming statistic.

Prabhu, who is originally from India, became a victim of a crime during his first week in America and the experience shaped his thoughts on the nation’s prison system. Realizing that our prison system is broken, Prabhu sought to inspire change. The 5 & 2 Trade School provides a place where youth can feel safe while they learn valuable life lessons and develop skills necessary to secure a prosperous future in an in-demand profession.

There are several ways to get involved in this ministry program, with volunteer and donation options outlined on their Facebook page and YouTube channel. The ministry can be contacted directly via email at ministry@proverbs226.org.

The 5 & 2 Trade School will have its ribbon cutting on December 16. To learn more about Prabhu and his journey founding Proverbs 22:6, an upcoming movie called Break the Cycle, will be released chronicling his dedication and perseverance in the face of adversity. This family film is about faith and selfless love for the least of these. Produced in Charlotte, actor Dean Cain collaborated with JCFilms and 24 Flix Studios to produce the movie.

“Forty-two states have more jails than colleges… 24 states have more beds in their prisons than the nation’s colleges have in their dormitories… something has got to change,” decried Prabhu.