21-year-old to open new school in Albany, will teach boys about life

ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) - A 21-year-old youth leader is opening up a new school in Albany.

The “X” for Boys founder, King Randall, will transform the former Isabella School into the New Life Preparatory School for Boys.

Randall told WALB News 10′s Gabrielle Ware that he hopes the school will give Albany boys more opportunities for success.

At the school, they’ll teach traditional academics as well as trade skills like welding and auto-repair. Some other options will include the science of family and manhood and there will also be firearms training.

Randall said he’s been wanting to open a school since he began The “X” for Boys program two years ago when he was only 19-years-old.

“Doing different workshops teaching young men how to do different skill trades, we’re also doing a book club and teaching them how to read because 93 percent of the children I come into contact with can’t read. But now we have an 86 percent reading comprehension rate,” explained Randall.

The kids were even invited to the White House.

Randall said troubled young men in Albany want to better their lives, they just need more opportunity.

“So giving them a space where they’re around a lot of other young men and around other men trying to mold you and train you. I’ve had kids come find me at my house and come knock and ask to join The “X” for Boys. I’ve had kids message me on Instagram, gang members, you name it,” said Randall.

Randall said he worked with the Dougherty County School System to find the perfect location.

“I gave the superintendent a call and asked if he had any school buildings they didn’t mind getting rid of and he was like, ‘Well, we have three buildings on the chopping block ready to be demolished.’ And I was like, ‘Oh really?’ So I went to go tour one of them and it is in great condition. Of course, it needs a little TLC but they just stopped using it maybe about two years ago,” explained Randall.

Randall has received nationwide support for this new effort, including receiving about 10,000 masks from the Ford Motor Company for his future students.

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