More than 1,000 young men later, Warrior Academy is proving that intentional support changes lives
Russell Harris Jr. did not set out to build an organization. He set out to reach one kid. A former Army chaplain and high school principal, Harris watched an honor roll student in Detroit lose his footing when life got hard, and with no support system to hold him up, that student’s trajectory shifted. Harris never forgot it. That student became the reason Warrior Academy exists.
What started in 2015 as a small morning mentorship effort has grown into a multi-state organization serving more than 1,000 young men annually across Michigan, Illinois, and Minnesota. The expansion has been fast, but Harris is clear that it was not accidental.
Building the foundation
Warrior Academy operates through school and community partnerships, bringing structured programming directly into spaces where young men already are. Harris describes the mission plainly. “We exist to create the mindsets, skill sets, and habits in young men so that their future is shaped by their choice, and not by their circumstance.”
The program serves young men from third grade through high school and maintains contact well into adulthood. This past fall, Harris officiated the wedding of a former student. “We stay connected,” he said. “We’re with them throughout life.”
What growth looks like on the ground
Michigan was Warrior Academy’s starting point. After the pilot year inside a single school, word spread and the program grew to over nine sites. Illinois followed a natural path. Harris grew up in Chicago, and returning to implement the program there felt personal. The city now has six active sites, with 10 more set to launch next year.
The results Harris points to are not abstract. Young men in the program are showing up to school every day in cities where reliable transportation is scarce, performing at the top of their classes, and making sound decisions without adult supervision. “They’re the highest performing guys in their school,” Harris said, “and they’re disciplined. They’re making the right decisions even when adults aren’t around.”
Why schools are paying attention
Harris sees a shift happening in how schools talk about young men, and he believes the conversation is overdue. “We are disciplining guys more than we are developing guys,” he said. “Young men deserve childhoods. They deserve to take every step on the ladder, to be nurtured, to have a space where they can be safe, supported, and celebrated, but also held accountable.”
The urgency is not lost on him. With social media pressures and a cultural climate that often frames young men negatively, Harris believes intentional investment in their development produces real returns. “If we intentionally invest in the development of young men, we’ll start seeing young men be the fathers they need to be, the husbands they need to be, the leaders in their houses and in their community that they need to be.”
What comes next
Harris has cities in his sights. Atlanta and St. Louis are among the locations he is actively considering for expansion. He is also preparing for the return of Warrior Academy’s summer camp in Michigan, which runs for 25 days for young men in grades three through 10. Last year, 243 boys participated. This year, that number will grow. “There should be a Warrior Academy in every city,” Harris said.
Those interested in supporting or learning more can visit wearewarrioracademy.org. Summer camp information is available at warrioracademiesummer.com.