Atlanta Italian ice shop offers teenagers chance to learn how to lead and become men – CBS News

Atlanta Italian ice shop offers teenagers chance to learn how to lead and become men  CBS News

From the outside of the small business on Slyvan Road, Glaciers Italian Ice may look like an ordinary shop for a sweet treat to satisfy a craving, but it is much more than that. This opportunity for local teenagers working behind the counter daily and serving Italian ice to people across Atlanta is life-changing.The Noble Truth Project Youth Entrepreneurship program works with teenagers 14 to 19 and provides them with mentors, personal development skills, financial literacy tools, and educational enrichment opportunities. Leaders said the primary goal is to provide pathways to success for young people who might otherwise succumb to a detrimental cycle of involvement with the justice system.Sixteen-year-old Treamone Ellison said the program changed the way he sees himself and his future.

"I heard about this program from a friend of mine," Ellison said. "He told me it was an Italian ice job." After a short while on the job, Ellison said he realized the opportunity was invaluable. The teenagers learn about money management, saving, business, and planning for their futures. The organization also plans events where they can interact one-on-one with mentors and business owners from the community. "They actually teach us what it is like to be men," Ellison said.Ellison, a student at KIPP Atlanta Collegiate, said he enjoys serving Italian ice to people in the community