On a hot July afternoon, the south end of Narragansett Town Beach is filled with surfers, riding seemingly effortlessly over the mounting waves that fill the ocean. Among the many surfers is a group of young men who are clearly having a more difficult time than the others standing on their boards, waiting to catch a wave to ride to shore. A few fall over and rest on the boards. Others attempt to get back on the board and give it another try. 

Despite the difficulty they are having in the water, none appear frustrated. The teens are all smiles, and the laughter is evidence they are having a great time. The difficulty they face in the water is nothing compared to the challenges they have faced growing up miles away from the ocean in Rhode Island’s urban core cities. 

The teens – from Providence and Pawtucket – are part of E.C.O. (Experience, Confidence, Opportunity), an innovative program dedicated to transforming the lives of at-risk male youth, primarily of ages 13 to 18, adjudicated to DCYF custody and residing at Ocean Tides. 

At its core, E.C.O. is an engine for change, turning challenges into solutions by providing a full year of mentorship and structured recreational activities designed to foster behavioral change and empower youth for successful community re-entry. 

For one Providence teenager, “Ken’s Trips” have given him a new perspective on life. 

“I never thought I’d surf. It’s going great. A lot of confidence came with it. I was scared at first, but I had to try it, I just did it and now I’m in love with it,” said the 16-year-old. “My goal is to make my parents happy and make me a better person and make sure I never go back to the training school or any other place like that. I want to get my high school diploma; I want to become an entrepreneur. This program is helping a lot. It’s helping me gain a lot more skills. I never thought that I would be able to accomplish these types of skills. Until Ken (Rusko) came around.” 

E.C.O.’s transformative programming unfolds in three phases: recruitment, workforce development, and diversion. Over the past two years, E.C.O. has engaged 80-90 youth, introducing them to diverse activities like indoor rock climbing, disc golf, indoor BMX biking, swimming, snorkeling, surfing, indoor video golf, and martial arts. 

“These kids, not all of them, don’t have a great family life. It’s hard for them to understand the world around them because no one is showing them,” said E.C.O. Founder Ken Rusko. “This program gives them an opportunity to be in the community, be part of programs other people in the community get to do. It helps them assimilate.” 

This year, E.C.O.’s goal is to fully implement its workforce development program and to secure vital housing options for gang-involved youth to safely leave that life behind. 

“If you want someone out of the gang, you must move them out of the neighborhood,” Rusco said. “Right now, I am a one-man show pedaling as fast as I can, but I need administrative help, and funding for that as well as for our programming. It would be great to find a coalition of RI organizations and businesses interested in becoming part of the team to provide funding and resources.” 

To learn more or contribute, contact Ken at ken@eco-ri.com, visit eco-ri.com, find them on Instagram @ECO143, or call 401-441-1167. 

Your support can help transform lives and build a brighter future for young people.

Papitto Opportunity Connection:

The Papitto Opportunity Connection (POC) is a non-profit private foundation dedicated to listening and working together with Rhode Island’s communities in need to empower and create systemic change by investing in education, job skills training, health care and entrepreneurship. Established in December 2020, POC has invested more than $100 million dollars to support programs that provide crucial services that uplift Rhode Island’s communities in need. Learn more at POCFoundation.com.