About Us

In the fall of 2016, Jacob Villescas created TOW-R as a simple after school club to address and build a sense of respect among students at Liberty Middle School in PSJA. It had become apparent to family, friends, and colleagues that young people in our communities were displaying negative behavioral trends on a constant basis. Not only were these trends affecting their time in school but their overall well-being at home and in the community. Individuals supporting the TOW-R process identified similar characteristics amongst at-risk students at schools and juvenile delinquents they came across in society and social media.

With the help and support from family and friends, TOW-R offered outlets such as video game club, cooking club, and various sports activities to students on campus with the purpose of instilling positive characteristics and behavioral traits. The requirement to join any of the activities was simple, “treat others with respect.” Students were asked to display positive characteristics and morals throughout the year and become true representatives for TOW-R.

A sense of belonging and meaning was established in the lives of numerous students at Liberty Middle School and eventually TOW-R expanded to various campuses. Under the direction of Yvonne Chamblin, Capstone Teacher at Thomas Jefferson T-STEM ECHS, TOW-R began mentoring high school seniors with their end of year projects. Jacob Villescas also transitioned to Buell Disciplinary Alternative Education Program with a focus on interpersonal communication and student-centered projects. The process of “mentoring” individuals and groups became a fundamental component to the organization. Guiding students towards their desired endeavors and improving their communication skills was a priority to achieve success. 

The years that followed had positive and challenging moments. Ultimately, TOW-R volunteers and community representatives concluded young people lacked respect. The feeling of admiration towards someone or something that is good, valuable, or important was simply not there. Many of the young people they came across did not have respect for their teachers, law enforcement, families, each other, and most importantly themselves. Furthermore, this lack of respect was affecting the way they interacted with others, causing them to fail in both school and in society at large.

Inspired to do more, Jacob Villescas took it upon himself to leave his job as a full-time educator in 2022 to operate and run TOW-R full-time. With an emphasis on mentoring, TOW-R is committed to teaching young people the importance of respect as a life skill and key to success. Partnering with schools and other youth serving organizations, TOW-R continues to provide one to one, small group, and peer mentoring for youth between 10 – 26 years of age.