Jaxson is beginning to see himself as someone different from who he was before. Someone who shouldn’t be afraid of his thoughts,
Before coming to Rawhide in February 2026, 17-year-old Jaxson was living with his grandparents and helping care for his four younger siblings. With that came a lot of pressure. “My dad told me that I was a bad influence on them,” he shared.
After being caught in a stolen vehicle and placed on probation, Jaxson struggled to change. He continued using drugs, trying to avoid the weight of everything around him. Tensions at home escalated, with a family member pulling a gun on him, and he eventually reached a turning point.
When he first arrived at Rawhide, he didn’t want to stay. “The first month, I wanted to run,” he said. But as he began connecting with staff and other youth, his thoughts changed. “I realized if I ran, I might never get home. I started pushing myself, and now, I really like it here.”
Over time, Jaxson found something new: support beyond his family. “The fact that people care—that’s my favorite part,” he said. “Now I feel like I have people I can go to.”
He’s built friendships and discovered purpose through programs like culinary and career classes. Cooking, especially, has become meaningful. “I want to go home and cook for my family,” he shared. He’s also stepped into leadership through Rawhide’s Youth Advisory Council, helping improve the experience for other youth.
Therapy has also become more impactful. With Ms. Cassie, Jaxson is learning how to slow down and manage impulsive decisions. “I’m learning to live in the moment and make better choices,” he said. “Think about the bigger picture.”
His progress earned him Student of the Month, but what matters most to him is the change he sees within himself. “I want to be a sober person,” he said. “I didn’t realize how big a problem it was before.”
Looking ahead, Jaxson hopes to attend college and become a teacher who shows up for others the way mentors have shown up for him. When he leaves Rawhide, he plans to carry with him the tools to make better decisions and a new perspective on who he can be.
Jaxson’s message to donors: “Thank you for seeing us as people, because when I’m outside of here, all I'm known as is a delinquent or a bad kid.”