The Work of Houston reVision

The mission of Houston reVision (reVision) is to break the cycle of juvenile justice involvement and homelessness among youth in Harris County by leveraging the power of community to connect them with mentors, positive peers, and life-changing resources.

Everyone is transformed in this work: kids, mentors, and communities. Learn more by clicking here.



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THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING

Despite the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on juvenile-justice system involved youth and their families, incredible progress has been made towards moving the needle on much-needed reform in Harris County.

In this session, reVision CEO Charles Rotramel and Harris County Juvenile Probation Department Executive Director Henry Gonzales provided an update on the vision for the future of juvenile justice in Harris County and the plan to make that vision a reality.

REVISION FC TEAMS MAKE HISTORY, WIN BOTH SOUTH TEXAS STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

Proving they are the best in South Texas | Advancing to National Competition

The reVision FC 04 and 06 teams are the South Texas State Champions!

The reVision FC 04 team won the South Texas State Championship at the highest level of competition in US Youth Soccer. The team advanced to the Southern Regional Championships in Baton Rouge, LA on June 23, competing for the National Championship.

The reVision FC 06 team also won the South Texas State Championship in their age division. This team advanced to the 2023 US Youth Soccer Southern Presidents Cup in Greenville, SC on June 14, competing for the National Championship.

Having two reVision FC teams at the top of the table is a first for the program and a fantastic testament to the talent and resiliency of these players.

The reVision FC teams are thrilled to have this opportunity to compete at such a high level. They are also proud to represent reVision and Houston in these competitions.

Houston reVision provides a positive outlet for young people in Houston and assists them in developing vital life skills such as teamwork, discipline, and sportsmanship. The organization is committed to providing its players with a high-quality soccer experience that will help them reach their full potential.

The reVision FC teams were excited to compete at the Southern Regional Championships and the Southern Presidents Cup, respectively. They confidently represented reVision and Houston with great pride.

Congratulations to the reVision FC 04 and 06 teams on their amazing accomplishments!

You can help support the cost of travel for the teams by clicking here.

EXPANDING SCHOOL-BASED PROGRAMS

In response to a growing number of students experiencing homelessness, St. John the Divine Episcopal Church along with St. Luke’s Methodist, Bethany Christian, and Lamar High School Alumni have created the “Loving Lamar” fund to bring reVision’s school-based programming to the campus. For more information on the partners involved and to make a donation to the fund, click here.

REDUCING THE NUMBER OF YOUTH IN THE SYSTEM

One example of the reform spearheaded by the Harris County Juvenile Probation Department in partnership with reVision, the Harris County DA's Office, and The Council on Recovery is the Marijuana Diversion Program. Since the program began last September, over 300 teens that were caught with marijuana have been referred to reVision. They are then are scheduled for a drug education class instead of facing criminal charges. This program has the potential to reduce the number of youth involved in the juvenile justice system by more than 1/3.

COUNTY-WIDE JUVENILE JUSTICE REFORM

On February 12th, Harris County Juvenile District Court Judge Leah Shapiro and the Harris County Juvenile Probation Department, along with Houston: reVision and the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition, held a critical convening on school discipline and juvenile justice. Over 200 attendees representing schools, courts, law enforcement, and other related agencies participated in a community-wide planning process to implement effective strategies to reduce the number of students arrested and referred to court for misbehavior at school. The featured speaker, Judge Steven Teske from Clayton County, Georgia, is a leader in innovation and reform within the state of Georgia and across the nation. John Jordan, Chief of the Juvenile Division for the Harris County District Attorney's Office, also spoke about the great progress he is leading that is reducing the number of student arrests.

REMOVING BARRIERS TO AFTERSCHOOL ACTIVITIES

The success of reVision’s high school soccer team has been undeniable. Players have made friends for life, improved academically, and gone on to play college soccer on scholarship. Looking to build on this success and recognizing that students are in their most formative years in middle school, reVision has started a middle school soccer team. reVision’s new Coach, Josue Herrera, is a State Championship winning player. He is committed to providing students opportunities to participate, build their skill levels, and experience the positive outcomes that can result from well-planned sports programs.

REVISION FC RECOGNIZED NATIONALLY

A short documentary about reVision FC produced by Bleacher Report was released at a special viewing party the team. Watch the exciting new video on YouTube.

After the film, five of our State-Championship winning players participated in a Q&A with the audience. Questions ranged from why their coach is so great to how reVision has impacted their lives. In response, Iluta said "I would not be where I am today without reVision. It has helped me and my family so much." Pictures from the party can be viewed here.