My first column for Patch.com is about some wonderful friends who are making a big difference in the lives of urban youth. Here’s how I introduce them:
When my late son Gabriel was preparing to be inducted into the National Honor Society at Long Branch High School eleven years ago, he had to choose a sponsor. Without hesitation he chose Reverend Elmer Jackson, the charismatic founder and principal of Westside Christian Academy, a small private school that serves urban youth in Monmouth County. …