Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy freshmen received a little insight Monday when Homeboy Industries founder Father Gregory Boyle visited the campus with former gang member and “homie” Steve Avalos, who shared his experience in a special assembly.
Homeboy Industries Homie Steve Avalos speaks about his troubled and dangerous youth as a gang member who went to prison for murder and is out now as a changed man at Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy in La Ca-ada Flintridge on Monday, December 8, 2014. Father Greg Boyle, of Homeboy Industries, came to the school to speak to the students. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
Homeboy Industries Homie Steve Avalos speaks about his troubled and dangerous youth as a gang member who went to prison for murder and is out now as a changed man at Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy in La Ca-ada Flintridge on Monday, December 8, 2014. Father Greg Boyle, of Homeboy Industries, came to the school to speak to the students. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
Homeboy Industries Homie Steve Avalos speaks about his troubled and dangerous youth as a gang member who went to prison for murder and is out now as a changed man at Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy in La Ca-ada Flintridge on Monday, December 8, 2014. Father Greg Boyle, of Homeboy Industries, came to the school to speak to the students. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
Homeboy Industries Homie Steve Avalos wipes away tears as he tells a story from his youth about how his brother was killed due to gang violence at Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy in La Ca-ada Flintridge on Monday, December 8, 2014. Father Greg Boyle, of Homeboy Industries, came to the school to speak to the students. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
Homeboy Industries Homie Steve Avalos speaks about his troubled and dangerous youth as a gang member who went to prison for murder and is out now as a changed man at Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy in La Ca-ada Flintridge on Monday, December 8, 2014. Father Greg Boyle, of Homeboy Industries, came to the school to speak to the students. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
Homeboy Industries Homie Steve Avalos speaks about his troubled and dangerous youth as a gang member who went to prison for murder and is out now as a changed man at Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy in La Ca-ada Flintridge on Monday, December 8, 2014. Father Greg Boyle, of Homeboy Industries, came to the school to speak to the students. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
FSHA freshman who make up the Homeboy Committee, introduce themselves to Homeboy Industries Homie Steve Avalos who will speak to the freshman class at Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy in La Ca-ada Flintridge on Monday, December 8, 2014. Father Greg Boyle, of Homeboy Industries, came to the school to speak to the students. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
FSHA freshman Paris Davis, 14, tapes a welcome sign to the wall for Father Greg Boyle, of Homeboy Industries, who will arrive soon to speak at Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy in La Ca-ada Flintridge on Monday, December 8, 2014. Father Greg Boyle, of Homeboy Industries, came to the school to speak to the students. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
Homeboy Committe members Emma Grace, 14, Chloe Walters, and Caitlin Bury, 15, introduce themselves to Father Greg Boyle who came to the school to talk about the company he founded at Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy in La Ca-ada Flintridge on Monday, December 8, 2014. Father Greg Boyle, of Homeboy Industries, came to the school to speak to the students. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
FSHA freshman Vivian Helvajian, 14, shakes the hand of Homeboy Industries Homie Steve Avalos who had just spoken to the freshman class at Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy in La Ca-ada Flintridge on Monday, December 8, 2014. Father Greg Boyle, of Homeboy Industries, came to the school to speak to the students. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)