Some might say Moses Chairez has gangs in his DNA. Both his father and his mother were gang members. His father spent time in prison and died of an overdose. His brother Joey was shot and killed by a gang member in Escondido. His brother Mario struggled with substance abuse before dying suddenly in his sleep. What hope was there for Moses?

The Boys & Girls Clubs offered Moses and his family hope. Throughout his life Moses chose positive role models and took a different path. His mother, Betty, left the gang and became a born-again Christian. The Boys & Girls Club gave her a full-time job and paid for her education to become a child care teacher. Today, she is a drug and alcohol counselor with a caseload of 140 women and children.

Joe Gelormini, a wrestling coach at Escondido High School, became his male role model. Under his tutelage, Moses became the top 215 lb. wrestler in the county, a three-time league champion and MVP in 2008. His peers elected him team captain. But most important, his grades improved dramatically. He was named student of the month twice and won an outstanding student award.

Moses was a member of the Boys & Girls Club for eight years. He participated in FFA, football and link crew in high school. He has served as a Sunday school teacher and has worked as a cashier in a store. He will attend Palomar College and major in Fire Science/Technology with a goal to be a firefighter. The gang Moses chose to join will save lives, not take them.