In 1826, it was an unheard-of attempt to relieve overcrowded prisons; today it’s heard all around the nation as a destination for turning misdirected boys into leaders.

The Glen Mills Schools are about to celebrate 190 years of that legacy, having grown into a prestigious private, nonprofit campus of learning, leadership development, and team building where 500-some students spend nine months to a year of their lives.

“It gave me a second chance — an opportunity to forget what I had done and plan how I was going to make something out of myself,” alum Sean Kearney said in a Main Line Today report by Lora Englehart.