• COVID-19 Resources
  • About
  • Subscribe
  • Promotions
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • May 30, 2025

Milwaukee Courier Weekly Newspaper

"THE NEWSPAPER YOU CAN TRUST SINCE 1964"

  • News
  • Editorials
  • Education
  • Urban Business
  • Health
  • Religion
  • Upcoming Events
  • Classifieds

Share:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Tweet
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

Mentorship Program Seeks to Keep Youths on Right Track

January 6, 2024

Camreon Grosz (right) parasails with two mentors, Milwaukee Police Department Sgt. Amy Rivera and Todd Jones, during a trip to Los Angeles as part of the MIRROR program. (Photo provided by Paradigm Shyft)

By Devin Blake

This story was originally published by Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service, where you can find other stories reporting on fifteen city neighborhoods in Milwaukee. Visit milwaukeenns.org.

Although he has a mother and father who are present and engaged in his life, Cameron Grosz, 16, said that about a year ago, he started to make unwise choices.

He was spending time with other youths who were staying out at night and stealing cars.

“I guess I was trying to be like them, kind of,” Grosz said.

Worried, Grosz’s mom found out about the MIRROR program, where each youth is connected to three mentors: an officer from the Milwaukee Police Department; someone convicted of a violent offense; and a crime survivor.

“We tried to … surround them each with three mentors, symbolically their past, present and future,” said Adam Procell, cofounder of Paradigm Shyft, the organization that created and oversees the program.

“I received a life sentence two days after I turned 15 for a gang-related homicide and served almost a quarter of a century,” he said. “So I was one of these ‘at-risk youth.’”

Procell said he and cofounder Shannon Ross, also formerly incarcerated, wanted to create the program “that would’ve potentially worked for us when we were teenagers.”

“And we know mentorship works,” he added.

Three Milwaukee teenagers are in the first group of participants in the MIRROR program.

Together, the mentors seek to make a positive impact on their mentees, said Milwaukee Police Department Sgt. Amy Rivera, one of the mentors in the program.

But this process takes time.

The mentors and mentees have engaged in activities over the course of several months to develop the trust and camaraderie needed for success.

‘You can always change at any time’

After a couple of meet-and-greets last year, the three teenagers and their mentors traveled to a property owned by former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson.

Thompson has been vocal about his regret in the role he played in the increase in incarceration in Wisconsin during his administration.

Thompson hosted MIRROR program participants at his property in Elroy, which includes a vineyard.

The three mentees are from the ages of 13 to 16.

Some activities the group took part in at Thompson’s property included four-wheeling and fishing.

“It was super cool,” said Grosz. “I had a great time.”

After returning to Milwaukee, the mentors continued to spend time with their mentees, helping them articulate and pursue their goals.

Grosz worked at getting a driver’s license. But long term, he said he wants to be an entrepreneur.

“You can always change at any time. Just do what you want to do,” Grosz said.

What’s next?

The original funding for the program ended in October, but Paradigm Shyft received a second round of funding to keep the program going.

Rivera stressed mentorship does not necessarily need to be formal or tied to a program.

“If there are community members, people in the community that see a youth, be their positive mentor,” she said.

“Maybe you are the only one that can maybe change some perspective and just show that there is some hope out there,” Rivera said. “Just be that positive light for them.”

Devin Blake is the criminal justice reporter for the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service. His position is funded by the Public Welfare Foundation, which plays no role in editorial decisions in the NNS newsroom.

Share:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Tweet
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

Popular Interests In This Article: Amy Rivera, Cameron Grosz, Devin Blake, Milwaukee Police Department, MIRROR program, Youth Programs

Read More - Related Articles

  • Milwaukee Teens Lead the way: Inside AART’s Youth-Driven Movement for Change
  • Wisconsinites Added a Voter ID Requirement to the State’s Constitution. Here’s what that Means
  • What Happens When Someone is Murdered in Milwaukee? An Inside Look at Homicide Investigations
  • GOP Bill Would cut Funding to MPS Over School Police
  • 7 Community Leaders Share Ideas About the Future of the Social Development Commission
Become Our Fan On Facebook
Find Us On Facebook


Follow Us On X
Follow Us On X

Editorials

Lakeshia Myers
Michelle Bryant
Dr. Kweku Akyirefi Amoasi formerly known as Dr. Ramel Smith

Journalists

Karen Stokes

Topics

Health Care & Wellness
Climate Change
Upcoming Events
Obituaries
Milwaukee NAACP

Politicians

David Crowley
Cavalier Johnson
Marcelia Nicholson
Governor Tony Evers
President Joe Biden
Vice President Kamala Harris
Former President Barack Obama
Gwen Moore
Milele A. Coggs
Spencer Coggs

Classifieds

Job Openings
Bid Requests
Req Proposals
Req Quotations
Apts For Rent

Contact Us

Milwaukee Courier
2003 W. Capitol Dr.
Milwaukee, WI 53206
Ph: 414.449.4860
Fax: 414.906.5383

Copyright © 2025 · Courier Communications | View Privacy Policy | Site built and maintained by Farrell Marketing Technology LLC
We use third-party advertising companies to serve ads when you visit our website. These companies may use information (not including your name, address, email address, or telephone number) about your visits to this and other websites in order to provide advertisements about goods and services of interest to you. If you would like more information about this practice and to know your choices about not having this information used by these companies, click here.