M usic is one of our most popular, profound and universal cultural touchstones. The lyrics of one of these beloved touchstones proclaims with tender joy-
"I believe the children are our future Teach them well and let them lead the way Show them all the beauty they possess inside Give them a sense of pride"…
At Regis House, these uplifting words are put into direct action through the work of counselors who help the community’s youth at risk. One of these counselors is Santiago Kember and his path to service has been a labor of surprisingly unexpected love. Mr. Kember academic journey towards his service began when he received his Master’s in Mental Health Counseling from Nova Southeastern University (NSU), and then went on to complete his certification as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in the state of Florida. Seeking to dive into his professional service Mr.Kember also completed a 750 hour internship at
Regis House and then volunteered to serve for 3 years post-graduation.
Originally focused on group and individual therapy for adults, his volunteer work drew him to where he witnessed some of the greatest need for care, counseling and real empathy for an often neglected, often feared and almost always misunderstood section of his community— misguided teenagers mandated by the court to complete counseling and begin to straighten out their troublesome records. As one of Regis House’s primary functions as an organization was to help the low-or-no income families with substance abuse and substance dependance issues, Mr. Kember’s new direction as youth counselor meant he became directly involved with Florida’s Dept. of Juvenile Justice, addressing the immediate needs of 13-19 year-olds charged with crimes and mandated to perform counseling as terms of probation. Many of these youth
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