As violence escalated on the Lower East Side this summer, there was a lot of talk about a lack of programs aimed at keeping teens and young adults off the streets and out of trouble. Aaron Daly knows a thing or two about that. He was a neighborhood kid – floundering in school – until he got a lifeline. A prep school, far away from the city, gave Aaron a chance to excel at both sports and academics. He took that chance and ran with it.
Now, he's started a non-profit organization, Prep Step, to help other kids do the same thing. The idea, according to Prep Step's web site, is to "provide opportunities to student athletes, placing them in competitive and productive environments, both athletically and academically." The organization has established an office on the LES. Recently we caught up with Aaron at an art auction and fundraiser held in the city. In the following clip, you'll hear Aaron, followed by Prep Step's CFO, Doug Rubenstein, explaining what they're trying to accomplish:
