COLUMBUS, Ohio — George Reese remembers what it was like to roam the halls of Independence High School in Columbus.

What You Need To Know

  • Former OSU basketball player George Reese started the ACE mentorship program at his alma mater, Independence High School, to help freshman students navigate life

  • The ACE program at Independence High originally started as a mentorship program for freshman boys but this week its leaders extended the program to help freshman girls as well

  • The Department of Neighborhoods' Commission on Black Girls is a partner for the new addition of mentoring the freshman girls 

It’s why he started the ACE Program, a mentorship program designed to help today’s students navigate life. 

“You know, like I said, just being born and raised in the city, coming, being an Independence alumni, I think that's kind of our duty, right? We're supposed to be able to reach back and help the younger generations in any way possible,” said Reese.

Reese originally launched ACE as an after-school program in suburban school districts around Columbus. But last year, he brought it to his alma mater as a way to give life coaching skills to freshmen boys. And starting this week, he’s partnering with the Department of Neighborhoods’ Commission On Black Girls, to help freshman girls as well.

“We have a pillar within the Commission, all Black girls, that focuses on mentorship, and that's why it's important for us to partner with organizations like the ACE program in the schools to support our Black girls, to get them beyond a point of survival,” said the Community Relations Coordinator for the Commission on Black Girls Sherry Jones.

And Reese is leaning on another one of his alma maters to help deliver the message, bringing in current OSU basketball players to talk about the importance of having a life coach. 

“I mean, it's important because it gives back to the community," said Zed Key, an OSU basketball player. "I'm big on that and all the guys are big on that. You know, it gives them some of our knowledge that we gained over the years to go there and, you know, and more experience. So it's good to just share that insight."

“Unfortunately, it is a lot of our younger, you know, younger participants, younger students that are, you know, not thinking before they act," said Reese. "You see a lot of fighting, a lot of things that's going on. So hopefully we can get them talking about different options. Like I said, everything we can provide for them. I said during the school year, that's one of them. Try to do it."

From local policymakers to basketball players and life coaches from different backgrounds and professions, Reese just wants the best for the youth of Columbus.