Academy saves lives, enriches young minds Des Plaines school turns at-risk students into uplifting success stories

The press has been full of stories on miracle rescues--the coalminers in Pennsylvania, the kidnapped teens in California. But thereare miracles right here in Chicago--the rescued lives of two youngmen that, were they described in a novel, would be hard to believe.

Antoine Rogers, 26, was born to a 16-year-old prostitute and herpimp. By the time he was 2, his mother was dead and his father wasin prison. He became a ward of the state, shuffled through 10 or 14foster homes (he lost track of the exact number, and who could blamehim? In one, he was kept locked in a basement along with barkingdogs, where the only water to drink was from the toilet).

Today he's working on his Ph.D. at Loyola University, is avisiting academic in Havana, Cuba, and Birmingham, England, andteaches classes in social justice at Kendall, Dominican and Loyolauniversities.

Then there's the other miracle of a rescued life. MarcelloRobinson, 20, was born to a 14-year-old mother--the first of 11children. He was living in Cabrini-Green, watching gangs swap drugsand bullets and missing school almost daily, taking care of hissiblings while his mother fed her drug habit. At 13 he asked thecourt to make him a ward of the state; he was afraid of what wouldhappen to him if he stayed where he was. The judge agreed.

Today, Robinson is a junior at UCLA. He has his own productioncompany and he's executive-producing a new series with MagicJohnson's production company.

What made the difference? A place called Maryville Academy in DesPlaines and its executive director, Father John Smyth, a former probasketball player who has dedicated his life to saving the lives ofchildren. And Father David Ryan, Maryville's energetic and caringchief operating officer.

Rogers arrived there at age 8, Robinson at 13. Both say it was thefirst place they felt safe, where they weren't abused, and where theywere encouraged to study. By their senior years in high school, Robinson and Rogers both were accepted at colleges.

Robinson, whose tuition at UCLA is paid for by Maryville, says hedoesn't know where he'd be if it weren't for Father Smyth. He says hemight be selling drugs, or in a gang. He calls the priest "the mostcaring individual I've ever met in my life."

Rogers agrees. He says Smyth and Ryan gave him the first place helearned to trust, that they listened to him with empathy and praise,that they gave him structure, and a will to learn and to study. Theypaid for his tuition and housing and advice--and still do. AndRogers, too, says he doesn't know where he'd be if it weren't forMaryville; a "scared, afraid little boy, definitely on the road to .. . I don't know. God, I just thank them for existing."

Both young men--a Ph.D. candidate and a college junior with aproduction company--say all that Smyth ever asked them for in returnwas to continue to do well.

Smyth, a humble man who stands very, very tall, puts it this way:"I tell them they have God-given talents and to use them."

We could all use Smyth's advice--and his compassion. Some yearsback, Cardinal John Cody decided Maryville was too expensive to run.He decided the campus should be closed. Smyth wouldn't have it.Without help from the diocese, he raised the money to keep it open.And he still raises it--for so many other Robinsons and Rogerses.

Both Rogers and Robinson say they plan on giving back toMaryville. Rogers wants to get his Ph.D. and work as an academic,advising service agencies how best to run group homes and how best tohelp helpless children.

Robinson says he's told Smyth that when he makes his fortune inthe business--and he says he knows he will--the first thing he'sgoing to do is give back to Maryville: for the schools, the tuition,the room and board, the counseling, and the belief in self hereceived and is still receiving.

As for Smyth--he lives on the campus of Maryville, in a cell of aroom, but has a fuller, richer life than many people who live inmansions. He saves lives.

He runs a place called Maryville, City of Youth. As has been saidof the city, there are thousands of stories to tell, and atMaryville, thousands more miracle stories to come.