Invested Youth Christian Vocational Leadership Academy, Crown Point, Ind.
A 10-year veteran of the Detroit Police Department and master trainer & facilitator in restorative practices, Monica Evans is the founder of Invested Youth Christian Vocational Leadership Academy, a farm-based, K-12 school in rural northwest Indiana. At Invested Youth, students in Lake and Porter counties who have been placed within the juvenile justice system for behavioral issues or school truancy will have an opportunity to engage in hands-on learning and receive mentoring within a Christ-centered educational environment. Monica doesn’t see these children as being “at risk”; rather, they are “investments” who deserve an opportunity to grow into gifts to their communities.