DC AG recognizes 30 young people making an impact in the community during "Right Direction Awards"

WASHINGTON (7News) — A recent spike in crime in D.C. has made headlines, but some of those who were once caught on the wrong side of the law are continuing on a journey to turn things around.

On Wednesday, D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb held an event to honor 30 young people who are now making a positive impact on the city.

For years, Tremane Jay was a scared kid growing up around gun violence in D.C. Now, the 20-year-old is a student at Morgan State.

“When I was a kid, I couldn’t go up to the cash register and ask for something I wanted because I was just too nervous and shy,” Jay said.

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After working to overcome his shyness, Jay has become a mentor to young people and now, he’s receiving an award.

“Coming from D.C. streets, I know how it go here,” Jay said.

Derek Stevens, 23, was also awarded Wednesday. Stevens once played football for D.C.'s Coolidge High, but after graduation, he began getting into trouble.

After two stays in jail - a year for a robbery conviction and seven months on a gun possession case in which he was not convicted - Stevens said he finally had enough.

Stevens has since completed a city-sponsored reform course and now has a job he loves on a trash truck for the Department of Public Works.

“As I got older, I started to see you cannot always live that life,” said Stevens. “It's not going to lead you nowhere but two ways – death or jail.”

“I went to jail before, and that’s a lonely place,” Stevens added.

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While young people – particularly young men – too often make the news for bad behavior, the Attorney General’s “Right Direction Awards” focuses on the good.

“I think too often young people are being peppered with negative messages and negative responses,” said AG Schwalb. “We can hold young people accountable when we need to, and also celebrate and uplift young people when they’re doing the best that they can do, and that’s what tonight’s really about.”

Schwalb regularly says that 99% of D.C. youth are law-abiding citizens.

The purpose of the awards, the AG says, is to encourage young people facing adversity who have stayed away from crime or turned their lives around.

When asked how they feel about being awarded, Stevens said, “It’s an honor to get because people know my past.”

“I appreciate being nominated...great honor,” said Jay. “It motivates me to be a better person than I was a second ago.”

The awardees were nominated by mentors and program managers. Schwalb said they had a record number of recommendations this year.