HIGH POINT, N.C. — Keeping kids away from crime and focused on their futures, every community in North Carolina is having these conversations right now. A small group of students in High Point thinks they have the solution. Giving kids another option; a new cool, if you will!
Longtime radio personality Busta Brown started the New Cool Organization and the New Cool Movement to show Triad youth there's another option.
"You can do Cardi, you can do Kodak Black, or whoever is hot right now, you can do that. We're not knocking that, but there's another option of cool, and that's the type of cool about love, kindness, and accountability," Brown said.
Jeremiah Jett is the group's president. At 15 years old, he's leading this peer movement because he sees the problems weighing on this generation's shoulders.
"Growing up in this generation, I see many problems going on. I see a lot of kids fighting with depression, anxiety, and mental health issues, and they're retaliating, and the retaliation isn't always good. That's why we have a lot of youth on youth kids killing each other," Jett said.
The 20 youth members use peer counseling to break through to other youth. They take a bold approach. When they see bullying, they stop it! When they see kids fighting, they reach out to get both sides to talk it out.
"I did a speech with one organization with some kids, and many haven't received hugs or any affirmation. So let's try to get them to hug. Let's try to get them feeling good for once. So I tried to get them to hug each other. Everybody thought it was a little weird at first, but they just hugged each other and felt what it was like to give and get a hug."
The New Cool Organization wants this movement to grow. They're recruiting new members and working with local teen and community groups to reach as many children as possible.
If you're interested in learning more about the organization or how to join the New Cool Movement, you can email newcoolmovement@gmail.com.