ABOUT US

THE FOUNDERS OF YOUTH ARISE

THE FOUNDERS

Romeo & Arlene Christopher are the proud founders of Youth Arise, Inc.

Romeo Christopher received a Bachelor's of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice. He served in both the Army & Navy for several years before joining the Virgin Islands Police Department from which he retired as a Lieutenant from the VIPD after 20 years of honorable service. He then became the Territorial Director for Virgin Island's Department of Health's Security and Environmental Divisions. Throughout his career, he has worked with many youth to mentor and guide them for several years. He even served as the Pathfinder's Director. Additionally, he is currently a successful business owner of a Security firm.

Arlene Christopher, MD, received her Bachelor’s Degree in Biology from Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN; her Doctorate in Medicine from University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA; did a Pediatric Internship at St. Louis Children’s Hospital in St. Louis, MO and completed her Pediatric Residency at University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. She did a two-year fellowship in Pediatric Emergency Medicine at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York while working on her Masters in Public Health from Columbia University, NY. She is also a speaker, health educator, and health consultant with her own Health Consultant Company and Private Pediatric practice - ChristopherPeds. Over the past 20 years, she has worked with children and their families in many settings including Community Health Care Centers, Emergency Departments, and Pediatric Acute Care centers. She also served as the Director of Maternal Child Health (MCH) and Children With Special Health Care Needs (CSHCN) in the Virgin Islands; the Virgin Island State Adolescent Health Care Coordinator; and the Physician for the Multi-disciplinary Team for Child Abuse and Neglect in the VI and has testified as an expert witness in several child abuse and neglect cases.

Together, they have their own consulting business - Christopher Enterprise and are both International Chaplains. Their desire is to create a comprehensive Adolescent Program that will work with Adolescents and their families in order to help those teens reach their full potential and become productive citizens that possess the skills and knowledge to live independently and successfully.

Their mission in life is to advocate for Children and Adolescents along with their families; to provide public education on Child and Adolescent Health and Social Issues; and to provide information on ways of Instituting preventative measures, especially in the areas of youth violence, teenage pregnancy and teenage drug use.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

YOUTH ARISE, INC. BUILDING

The building is located at 18 Hospital Line, St. Thomas, VI in the historical district of Hospital Ground, and was owned by the late Reverend Dr. C. Warren Smith, MD, MPH and his wife Marjorie W. Smith.

OUR STORY

The Youth Arise, Inc. building is right around the corner where Dr. Smith first resided with his wife, Marjorie and their 4 children ( including Dr. Arlene Christopher), which was also the building where both Dr. C. Warren Smith and Dr. Arlene Christopher had their private practices - both Pediatricians;

It is also located just down the street from the Public Health Department and Knud Hansen Memorial Hospital - both places that Dr. Smith spent many hours diligently working to care for the Hospital Ground Community.

Now, in honor of him, his legacy and his work, his daughter, Arlene Christopher and her husband, Romeo Christopher, give back to the community in which she grew up. Together they continue the work to care for the younger generation of those that Dr. Smith took care of.

It was a long, hard journey as there was much to do in terms of cleaning up, re-modeling and re-structuring the place to fit the needs of our youth and their families. But with prayer, and the help of those in the community, we were able to open our doors within a year of taking possession of the building... WE HAVE ENJOYED EVERY LAST MINUTE OF THE JOURNEY!!!

The Late Reverend Dr. and Mrs. C. Warren Smith

THE CLEAN-UP PROCESS

THE DEDICATED BUILDING

DEDICATION OF PLAQUE

Here is the family of the late Dr. C. Warren Smith with his wife holding the plaque that was dedicated in his honor.

DEDICATION CEREMONY

A dedication ceremony was held on February 27, 2016 in honor of this great man and to memorialize the numerous contributions that he made to the Virgin Islands Community as a Physician, a Priest, Public Health Director, a former Commissioner of Health and a Board Member/Member of many community and government organizations.

Many friends and family members came to participate in this grand occasion

RIBBON-CUTTING

Mrs. Marjorie W. Smith was still alive at the age of 89 years to be able to cut the ribbon to the doors of Youth Arise, Inc. - in honor of her late husband, Dr. C. Warren Smith, MD.

GUEST SPEAKER

The son of the late Dr. C. Warren Smith, Craig Smith, was the guest speaker at the dedication, and he gave a very powerful and inspirational speech.