CULVER CITY — Kyle Maddox knows all too well the value of a second chance.
Maddox, 36, went from living in a tiny 6 by 12 feet jail cell to being elected student body president of West Los Angeles College, where school starts Sept. 2.
The son of a single mother, Maddox grew up in the streets of South Los Angeles and was recruited into a gang at the age of 13.
Immersed in the gang lifestyle, he soon found himself committing robberies and using checks and credit cards illegally. He was sentenced to state prison for a total of 10 years.
While in prison, Maddox experienced some harrowing experiences.
“I saw several inmates get stabbed and there were always fights in prison, especially when the temperature got extremely hot,” he said. “My cell mate was a lifer who had set four people on fire in a car. I became a Muslim in prison and I asked Allah to protect me.”
The constant clang of iron gates and the unrelenting daily patrol of guards in prison turned out to be the wake up call that Maddox needed. He realized that he had to turn his life around.
“While I was in prison, I realized that higher education was the key to changing my life,” he said, adding that one of his goals was to be the first person in his family to graduate from college.
“I decided to attend West Los Angeles College because it was the only school my friends had never attended,” he said. “Most of them had enrolled in local junior colleges but they never graduated.
“West L.A. College was amazing,” said Maddox, who immediately fell in love with the college’s lush rolling lawns and plentiful swaying trees. “I also found out that the students and faculty are welcoming and warm. I just loved the people.”
Maddox, who is carrying a double major in psychology and sociology and wants to become a guidance or academic counselor for youth, said there are several changes at West L.A. that he feels could benefit the school.
“I would like to revive the Extended Opportunities Programs and Services which will allow students to visit the cafe and purchase hot food,” he said. “Some of my friends suffer from food insecurity. For many, their only option is to eat Hot cheetos and Takis.
He also wants to get he;p for the school’s athletic program.
“I would also love to get our athletics program a big name sponsor,” he said. “We are missing funding and we need jerseys and helmets for our athletic teams.
Maddox is also the chairman of the garden and greenhouse conservatory on campus.
“The greenhouse is up and running and students have been coming by and helping out,” he said. “We have fresh fruits and vegetables that anyone can harvest.
Maddox said he got a lot of help along the way and is grateful for the encouragement he received from faculty and staff.
“I would like to thank Dr. James Limbaugh, the president of the school, who is amazing,” Maddox said. “He is very understanding and very compassionate. He told me to come equipped, be prepared and be ready to handle business.
“I would also like to thank Vice President Dr. William Syms,” he added. “He told me that as student body president, I might sometimes need to be a friend for moral support, sometimes be a voice of reason and sometimes, to accomplish the ultimate goal, be the villain but to ultimately stand on those personal morals and values for the betterment of the students.
“I want to thank Annie Villanueva, the welcome center program coordinator, who was the first person to help me at West L.A.”
As for the students, Maddox said, “I want all the students to have a stress free, worry free, hassle free and violent free environment. I want to help create more student-led and student-based activities on campus.
“I realized that I could be the person to make the change,” he added. “I want a better life for students and I want them to know that no matter who comes to West Los Angeles, there are meals, programs services and resources available just for them.”
Shirley Hawkins is a freelance reporter for Wave Newspapers. She can be reached at shirleyhawkins700@gmail.com.
