***Update! Click here to find out what Andrew has been up to since he won his award.***
When Andrew McKee left jail on probation, he feared what life would be like: how would he get past the stigma of the conviction? Would he able to turn his life around? Happily, Andrew discovered that he could succeed after he joined the Phipps CDC, NYC Justice Corps.
It was an experience that not only boosted his confidence, but also his employability and his desire to give back to communities. Andrew and his crewmates completed major renovations to a local day care center, a project that Andrew says filled him with a deep sense of pride.
Andrew also became a reliable leader who showed a talent for documenting his team’s success through photography. This hard work and professionalism paid off when he obtained a high profile internship with the NYC Department of Probation, where he served as a special assistant to the Commisioner’s Office.
Once again, because of Andrew’s work ethic and achievements during his internship, he had even more success, securing a job as a full-time Field Supervisor with the NYC Department of Youth and Community Development.
In addition to working, during the night Andrew is also pursuing a liberal arts degree at Borough of Manhattan Community College. In his free time, he’s also making good use of photography hobby as a means to show other young people how they can have a positive impact on their communities. For instance, he has volunteered his time taking photographs for a non-profit organization that helps youth channel positive energy into dance rather than into negative activities. He also photographs young poets and musicians, and was even praised by Carvens Lissaint, an award winning Haitian-American performing artist whom Andrew has met and photographed.
Andrew is now a role model for others and proves that despite one’s past, there is always the potential to change and help make the world a better place.
