Resilient Starts Right Here students graduate after deadly shooting

DES MOINES, Iowa (WOI) - The founder of the Starts Right Here educational program in Des Moines says the students are resilient as they graduated after a recent deadly shooting.

The shooting in January killed 18-year-old Gionni Dameron and 16-year-old Rashad Carr.

Founder Will Keeps was also injured.

Just a few months later, 17 students at Starts Right Here earned their diploma.

Keeps says despite the tragic situation, the kids didn’t give up and rather became stronger due to it.

One student says she was ready to drop out, before getting the help she needed at ‘Starts Right Here’.

“All the teachers, the staff... will encourage you and just keep you in the right mindset,” Alesha Sellers, Starts Right Here graduate, said. “Even when you just don’t want to be here or don’t want to do the work.”

Keeps says he expects the program to keep improving. He is looking into creating dorms for the students.

Eighteen-year-old Preston Walls and 19-year-old Bravon Tukes both face first degree murder and attempted murder charges in the shooting.

Walls is set to go to trial in August and Tukes in October.

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