OAKLAND, Calif. (NBC) – A group of Oakland youth are charting a new course in life, thanks to a group of concerned adults who intervened as they began heading down a dangerous path.
What started with stealing has turned into entrepreneurship, as the young men behind HomeBoyz Detailing Service are now running a thriving hand car wash business.
“When a car pulls in, we get excited because that’s more money, and we’re sending people off with a good attitude,” said Kenneth McClendon of HomeBoyz Detailing Service.
Located at 85th Avenue and San Leandro Street, the car wash is more than just a business. It represents a major life shift for the teens involved, who once spent their days breaking into cars and Bay Area stores like CVS and Walgreens.
One of those teens is Draymond Wilkes, an 8th grader who started stealing at just 12 years old.
“I used to tell myself not to do it, but the money always drew me back in,” Wilkes admitted.
The group members range in age from 8 to their early teens. For many, even run-ins with the law weren’t enough to steer them off their destructive path.
“I always knew I wasn’t supposed to be doing it,” said King McClendon, another HomeBoyz member. “But if I got caught, I knew my mom wasn’t coming to get me.”
In April, everything changed when Zirl Wilson, CEO of Lu Lu’s House, a nonprofit supporting homeless and at-risk youth, encountered the group. Wilson witnessed the teens shoplifting at Eastmont Mall’s CVS and felt compelled to act.
“That was me at their age. I knew where that road leads—straight to prison,” Wilson said. “It would have been wrong for me to sit by and say nothing.”
Over time, Wilson and his partners transformed from strangers to mentors. They guided the young men toward a better path, ultimately helping them launch their car wash business to earn money legally.
Now, the boys are excelling in school, attending community meetings, and even participating in neighborhood cleanups.
“I wanted to show them that anyone can change,” Wilson explained. “The more time we spent together, the closer we became. I listened to them, and they just wanted to be heard.”
Their new path is already yielding remarkable results. As long as they maintain a 3.0 GPA and continue participating in the program, all eight members are set to receive full-ride scholarships to college, thanks to a pledge from Oakland native and sports agent Aaron Goodwin.
The weekly Saturday car wash is supported by Argent Materials and the Oakland Private Industry Council. Wilson hopes increased community backing will enable him to expand and help even more troubled youth.
“I’m proud of them because I’ve seen where they came from,” Wilson said. “I’ve watched the big and small changes in how they dress, how they talk to people, and how grateful they’ve become.”
The young entrepreneurs share that sense of pride. “Doing good feels better than doing bad, because when you’re doing bad, you’re always looking over your shoulder,” said McClendon.
With their new outlook and bigger dreams, the group hopes their story will inspire others to turn their lives around as well.
“People might see us and want to change too,” McClendon said. “When they see kids like us doing better, it could motivate them to do the same.”
