It was in 1990 that Garrett said he defied his mother at the age of 15 by one night going down to the corner in Brooklyn near his home to hang out with some friends. His mother didn’t think of them as friends and advised against it, and wanted him to do some chores. Garrett himself admits the group wasn’t a gang by name, but nonetheless was a gang by nature. As the night passed, his friends went to the store across the street, leaving Garrett and another buddy at the corner. That’s when his life changed and he attributes it to the gang life he found himself in.

"I see this kid walk up, turn around and my friend said ‘Look out, run!’," said Garrett. "I took off running and said let me turn around and see exactly what I’m running from and I knew what it was. I turned around and sure enough, there was the kid standing behind me with a sub machine gun. When I looked, I said ‘damn, I’m gonna get shot,’ but I said if I could make it to the next corner I’ll be alright, but knew I wasn’t going to make it to that corner."

Garrett was shot six times, five times in the legs and once in his lower spine leaving him partially paralyzed. In total, there were 12 holes in him from entry and exit wounds. In the ambulance on the way to the hospital, he said he felt his soul escaping his body, but only when he heard his mother yelling at him from the front seat, did it re-enter. It was the sense that knowing she was there for him even after he defied her that gave him the will to live.

Following six months in the hospital and a strong will to get his life on track, Garrett, now 32, started Wisdom and Understanding, LLC. Now he goes to seminars, schools and community organizations to preach the word of anti-violence, violence prevention and emotional intelligence. Garret’s greatest advice was to avoid confrontations and arguments, something familiar to teenagers at the high school level.

"When it comes to arguments, if you shut up, by definition, the argument is over," he said. "Always remember, an argument is just a difference of opinion and some people, are like ‘I’m not going to shut up’. Take this quote from a Jay-Z song though: ‘some people don’t get the big picture until the weapon is drawn’."

The message was needed at Becton, according to East Rutherford juvenile and school resource officer Sergeant Paul Cece. He said gangs are not a problem in the borough, but the presence is there. He said a proactive approach is needed to prevent a problem that is spiraling out of control in New Jersey. Detective Hector Carter of the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Gang Unit concurred, claiming East Rutherford or even the South Bergenite coverage area is not immune to gangs.

As an example Carter referred to 15-year-old Teaneck resident Ricky Lee Smith, Jr. who was gunned down in 2006 by a 17-year-old member of the Paterson Bloods. Word on the street that night was that the Bloods were going to show up and "anyone that messed with them, they were going to take care of them." There is also the case of former St. Mary’s High School student Monica Penalba who was repeatedly stabbed and run over by a member of the Latin Kings in 2005 after she witnessed a murder. The once promising softball standout now has one eye, loss of use to one arm and is awaiting trial for her affiliation to the murder and the Latin Kings gang activity.

"Kids have heard of the Bloods, Crips, the Latin Kings…the popular gangs, but there are a lot more gangs than the ones you’ll hear about," said Carter. "They’re your local gangs, area gangs, gangs probably right in this particular area."

Corrections officer Stacey Mallory walked in and with him in tow were two beige jumpsuit clad men. They were identified as June and Benjamin, by first name only for protection of their identities. When they are released from their temporary homes at Northern State Prison, it can’t be known that they were speaking against the gang life when back in society for fear of retaliation. They are two of the nearly 3,000 prisoners at Northern State, most of which are ex-gang members. For them, the state’s department of corrections Gang Awareness Prevention Program is their way to right the wrongs of the past and let New Jersey’s youth know how gang life can change a person’s future forever.

"Don’t sit there and think it won’t happen to me, that I won’t go to prison," said June, who had been shot four times and in turn shot another during his time on the streets. "I was in school, I had goals. I made a choice to go into a gang and my biggest mistake in life was when I dropped out of school. I dropped out because I didn’t think I needed an education."

June, 32, who’s been incarcerated for 10 years said his criminal career began at 13 when he was charged for receiving stolen property. After multiple trips to juvenile detention centers, he would always go back to the streets. He was shot four times and then eventually; he bought a gun himself. One night, a man went to rob him; June ran and kept shooting behind him as he fled. He hit the man, then was sentenced to 15 years. He will be released after 12 years and 9 months served if it’s granted. He wants to get a CDL license and drive a truck like his father.

"These guys [ranking gang members] don’t care about nothing, they don’t care about nobody…they tell us ‘I’m your brother, I’m gonna be there for you, but these are the same individuals that turn around and try to stab you," he said. "You have to be mindful of your surroundings, because your friends can also get you in trouble."

Becton senior Jennifer Henkelman said she was taken a little off guard by the dramatic angle taken by the presenters, but found the program beneficial in the end. "It was very surprising, shocking. I don’t think anybody was really expecting that," she said. "It was good to see though."