Indianapolis, IN
Indy peace leaders offer a new approach to changing school culture
(MIRROR INDY) — Dairius Banks wasn’t in Indy Peace Leaders when it first started this year but, after he kept showing up, the program’s leader let him stay.
The Arsenal Tech senior had followed a friend to the group which had been meeting regularly at their school to talk about what it means to be a leader. Banks said he’d never been a part of a group like it, but once he joined, he just started talking.
“It’s like a big therapy session,” Banks said. “We all had somebody to talk to.”
Banks is one of 14 young Black men at Tech who graduated Friday, April 12, from the school’s first cohort of Indy Peace Leaders. It’s a group Brandon Randall, of the local consulting group Tru Colors Indy, has led at Tech since late September. In it, he teaches lessons on how to appropriately deal with life’s challenges and become a leader for others as they’re faced with similar struggles.
The program’s launch comes amid the backdrop of an already violent spring in Indianapolis. Seven young people between 12 and 17 years old were injured in a downtown shooting in March, prompting police to announce their enforcement of a state curfew for kids. And Tech has lost several of its own students to gun violence, Randall said.
A chair sat empty at the Indy Peace Leaders’ graduation celebration last week. One of the 14 young men set to graduate was recovering in the hospital after being injured in a shooting, Randall said — a visceral reminder of something Arsenal Tech Principal JR Shelt told the Indy Peace Leaders he remembered hearing when he was a young Black student: “One in four of us won’t make it to see 25 years old.”
“That’s always stuck with me,” Shelt told the graduates, explaining how it drives his purpose today. “When you’re my age, you’ll do the same thing. If someone changes your life or gives you an opportunity or gives you a different way of thinking, you’ll pass that on to the next generation.”
[An Arsenal Tech mentor was killed just days before he would have received a mentorship award.]
Building up new leaders
Indy Peace Leaders grew out of an Indianapolis Urban League grant to the Peace Learning Center, a local nonprofit specializing in peace education, which contracted Randall to work with the teens. Students selected to participate in the program were paid up to $1,400 for their attendance plus bonuses for extra steps such as participating in a service project and a creative writing contest, Randall said.
The teens were able to use the stipends however they wished, Randall said. Some have jobs and cars and used the money to help pay bills or meet other needs outside of school. Though Dountonia Batts, associate director of the Peace Learning Center, said that’s not why the teens kept coming back each week.
“Not one person said that money was the motivation,” Batts said during the group’s graduation. “They mentioned people.”
Most teens in this year’s group were referred to the program by Tech staff. As part of a student body of more than 2,500, some teens in the group didn’t know each other at the start of the year. Others did, but didn’t necessarily get along. Randall said he worked hard to make sure the students, when they teamed up, worked with other students outside of their established friend groups.
Branden Randall, program facilitator, speaks to students. Credit: Doug McSchooler for Mirror Indy
The cohort met twice a week during school for about an hour at a time, taking in lessons about relationship building, mental health, family structure and conflict resolution. Randall challenged the young men to think about power structures, peer influence and how their actions could set an example for others around them.
He encouraged conversation and assigned the group homework occasionally. At the end of the school year, Randall said he plans to compare the students’ grades and attendance to reports from the middle of the school year. Although, for Randall, improving grades is a secondary goal.
“It is really important for people to understand the narrative of what youth leadership looks like,” Randall told Mirror Indy. “A lot of times, people expect that you have to have a 4.0, you have to be applying to colleges. These kids are very much leaders and while some of them want to go to college, not all of them do and that’s fine. They’re still finding joy and happiness in the world and they’re committing to making a positive difference.”
Keeping that in mind, Randall introduced the teens to different career paths. This month, he invited eight people from different industries to network with the group in a small, end-of-year career expo. He also arranged a service project where about half the group assembled hygiene and snack bags for 50 people in the city experiencing housing insecurity.
Jonathan Brewer said the activities taught him how to make plans and take accountability for his actions. The Tech senior studied welding in high school and now hopes to continue that in trade school. He’s also considering colleges where he can continue his participation in athletics.
“There’s not a lot of people that’s gonna tell you the right way of how to do things,” Brewer said. “Now, I try to look at the right company to surround myself with that’ll help me later on in the future.”
Relationships to continue
Randall said he focused from the beginning on building relationships and trust with the teens in the program. Randall, who is white, said he especially wanted to break their initial impressions that he was just another white man trying to tell them how to change their lives.
Banks said Randall quickly distinguished himself as someone who was there to stay by “blowing up” the teens’ phones and providing them rides when they needed it. He’s also helping some of the teens set up their first bank accounts and has connected them to potential job opportunities.
Several of the teens said their favorite parts of the program were the conversations Randall encouraged, creating a space where the group felt comfortable to share what was on their minds and hold each other accountable when they needed it. At graduation last week, the Indy Peace Leaders laughed together about the time they raided Coach Jeffery Cottrell’s snack supply and pledged to keep the cohort’s group text alive in the days and weeks to come.
[Mental health support among teens is progressing, but support is still needed.]
Most students in the first cohort are juniors and seniors. Randall said he hopes the graduates will stay involved as mentors to future Indy Peace Leader participants. He also hopes to bring the program to Harshman Middle School and said there’s been talks of launching a young women’s cohort and a group that caters to Latino students.
Randall has already tapped Banks to participate in another leadership program. The Tech senior said he especially liked how Indy Peace Leaders put the teens in front of community leaders who asked the teens directly what they think young people need today.
Banks, the Arsenal Tech senior, said the support he found through Indy Peace Leaders was the change of pace he needed after previously struggling and being expelled from another school. He called the new friends he’s made in the group a brotherhood.
He told Mirror Indy he thinks the community needs more programs such as Indy Peace Leaders to help teens make sense of the conflict they see around them. At the very least, he said, teens need to feel seen and trusted.
“There’s a lot of hurt,” Banks said. “We need more people to listen.”
Mirror Indy reporter Carley Lanich covers early childhood and K-12 education. Contact her at carley.lanich@mirrorindy.org or follow her on X @carleylanich.
The Indianapolis Colts kick off their three-day mandatory minicamp on Tuesday following the conclusion of their voluntary organized team activities (OTAs) period, which wrapped late last week.
With the second wave of NFL free agency underway, where do the Colts stand in terms of positional spending for the 2026-27 season? Colts On SI breaks down their place amongst the rest of the league on offense, defense, and special teams.
After already covering the offensive side of the ball, this article will cover both the defense and special teams when it comes to positional spending compared to the rest of the league.
Without further ado, let’s take a look at how many resources the Colts are spending on its defense (and special teams unit).
Note: All numbers reflected are cap hits via Spotrac.
Defense – $132.34 million (No. 8 in the NFL)
The Indianapolis Colts are spending the 8th-most among all NFL teams on their defense for the upcoming season.
General manager Chris Ballard is going as all-in as possible for Lou Anarumo’s defense, and with the 7th-most cap space remaining ($31.9 million), he could continue strengthening the defensive roster by adding a proven veteran before the regular season arrives.
EDGE – $15.22 million, 4.93% of the cap (No. 26)
The Colts’s defensive end room is made up of players on rookie contracts who are expected to take the next step in Laiatu Latu and Jaylahn Tuimoloau, veteran rotational pieces in Arden Key and Michael Clemons, and rookies who have yet to step foot on an NFL field in Day 3 (rounds 4-7) picks George Gumbs Jr. and Caden Curry.
Still, the four non-rookies in question each have a 2026 cap numbers that sits in the 12-22 range as far as most expensive hits go. The Colts aren’t skipping out on adding a big-time contributor, but rather are betting on Latu to emerge into stardom.
General manager Chris Ballard could (and probably should) add another veteran edge defender to the mix before the regular season arrives, but as of now the Colts are prepared to move forward with their rotation as is.
Defensive Tackle – $47.64 million, 15.43% of the cap (No. 9)
The Colts’ defensive tackle room is as strong as its been in the Ballard era thanks to its new-look depth behind the star duo of DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart.
The 32-year-old duo of Buckner and Stewart has held down the interior defensive line for the past several seasons, and now post two of the biggest cap hits on the roster. Buckner’s $26.6 million cap hit is the team’s biggest number, while Stewart’s $14.25 million hit is the 7th-most and is the last year of his current deal.
Meanwhile, fourth-year tackle Adetomiwa Adebawore has blossomed into a legitimate pass rusher, and newcomer Colby Wooden, whom the Colts got in return for longtime leader Zaire Franklin, is expected to be the best depth the aforementioned duo has had since they teamed up ahead of the 2020 season.
Linebacker – $15.90 million, 5.15% of the cap (No. 25)
As expected, the Colts are paying pennies for its linebacker room this season. This comes after a full-blown overhaul of the position room, a strategic effort that resulted in the Colts adding youth and speed to its front seven.
Second-round pick CJ Allen is expected to be Lou Anarumo’s green dot as a rookie, while veteran Akeem Davis-Gaither, third-year player Jaylon Carlies, and rookie Bryce Boettcher will battle it out for the WILL linebacker role.
Davis-Gaither’s $2.725 million cap hit is the highest number of the room, whereas Allen’s $1.659 million cap hit is second.
Cornerback – $41.72 million, 13.51% of the cap (No. 5)
General manager Chris Ballard traded the farm for superstar cornerback Sauce Gardner at the 2025 trade deadline to pair alongside Charvarius Ward Sr., and now the star-studded duo is poised to continue what they started in their two games together in 2025.
Like the duo of DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart, Gardner and Ward both have Top 10 cap hits for the 2026 season. Ward’s cap hit is the third-most on the team at $19.89 million, a jump back to typical AAV after his first year with the Colts was just $9 million.
Gardner’s first full season with the Colts will operate simliarly to Ward’s, as his 9th-biggest cap number in 2026 ($9.5 million) will soon replicate his actual value when his cap numbers will more than double after this season. The Colts are able to employ such a star-studded duo thanks to this minor cap manipulation, and now they hope the pairing will take them the distance.
Safety – $27.76 million, 8.99% of the cap (No. 6)
The Colts let Nick Cross walk in free agency to replace him via an aggregate of players, but they’re still paying top dollar thanks to Cam Bynum’s presence in the defensive backfield.
Bynum’s $15 million cap hit for 2026 is the 6th-highest number on the roster, but the Colts are more than happy to pay a premium for the luxury that is him leading the charge from the backend.
Indianapolis is anticipating third-round pick safety A.J. Haulcy to ultimatley earn the opening at strong safety, but second-year defender Hunter Wohler and veteran safety Juanyeh Thomas won’t make it easy on him.
Special Teams – $6.73 million (No. 14 in the NFL)
Kicker – $2.57 million, 0.83% of the cap (No. 15)
Punter – $2.55 million, 0.83% of the cap (No. 10)
Long Snapper – $1.61 million, 0.52% of the cap (No. 10)
It’s impressive that the Colts are only paying the 15th-most at the kicker position, considering they’re currently rostering two placekickers, both of whom were near-perfect on field goal attempts during their respective runs with the team last season.
Spencer Shrader is expected to earn his job back after having his season ended early with a complete ACL/MCL tear, but Blake Grupe is just as determined to continue his upward trajectory with the team that gave him his most recent opportunity.
There’s not much else to be said about punter Rigoberto Sanchez and long snapper Luke Rhodes other than suggesting that they might even be underpaid relative to how much others across the league are making. I’d argue each is at least top five at their respective positions, so keeping them both around at the 10th-highest rate is a big win.
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The Indianapolis Colts wrap up their offseason program this week, conducting three days of mandatory minicamp before breaking for the summer.
While OTA sessions do not involve any tackling, we can still glean which players have performed well or have the upper hand in certain position battles once we get to training camp.
Here are three players who have benefited the most from Colts’ OTAs over the last couple of weeks.
QB Daniel Jones
Daniel Jones may only be six months removed from tearing his right Achilles, but that has not stopped the quarterback from getting back on the field.
Jones returned to 7-on-7 action last week with the Colts’ starting offense. In the one session open to the media, Jones went 5-of-6 passing with two touchdowns. It was an impressive showing in his first team period since the injury.
Head coach Shane Steichen spoke last week about Jones’ progress, indicating he is very pleased with where his QB1 currently stands in his rehab.
“I think it’s just making those strides each and every week and to get him out there in 7-on-7 was huge, and to get him in the fold, running plays with the guys,” Steichen said about Jones. “So, we’ll keep that trend going probably through the end of OTAs, and then obviously get them into team stuff when we get to training camp.”
While Jones will not participate in any 11-on-11 sessions until training camp, returning to team drills this early in his rehab is a massive win. The Colts are just over three months away from Week 1, and it seems very likely that Jones will be the starting quarterback against the Baltimore Ravens.
WR Ashton Dulin
Alec Pierce and Josh Downs are locked in as the Colts’ top two wide receivers for this season. However, the departure of Michael Pittman Jr. to the Pittsburgh Steelers leaves an opening at WR3. So far, it’s been Ashton Dulin’s spot to lose.
Dulin has seen the majority of the snaps at that other outside receiver spot throughout OTAs. He’s also made plays when given the opportunity, catching both of Jones’ touchdowns in the aforementioned 7-on-7 period that included an acrobatic grab in the back of the end zone. Dulin is making the most of the opportunity, and coaches are noticing.
“Obviously, we’re in two weeks of practice right now, but Dulin’s made some good plays, Tread’s (Laquon Treadwell) made some good plays,” Steichen remarked. “Dulin had a great play today in the back of the end zone there. So, those guys are stepping up and I’m pleased with where that group’s at right now.”
Dulin has been a core special teamer and quality backup his entire career. 2026 may finally be the year he can prove he’s more than that.
RB Seth McGowan
With Jonathan Taylor not present for most of the voluntary OTA period due to family obligations, there have been opportunities for the other running backs to work with the starting unit. Rookie Seth McGowan is taking advantage of those reps.
McGowan has shown burst and power throughout the offseason program, leading to some big plays. Roundtable Sports’ Jake Arthur reported that McGowan has ripped off long, explosive runs each week of OTAs. The seventh-round pick is very decisive with his cuts and wastes very little time getting downhill.
A productive spring by McGowan has placed him right in the thick of the RB2 battle with former fifth-round pick DJ Giddens. The Colts would like to take some of the workload off of Taylor’s shoulders to keep him fresher throughout the season, meaning the competition between McGowan and Giddens will be one to watch throughout training camp.
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Saint Paul finished off its best series of the season by beating visiting Indianapolis 3-0 at CHS Field Sunday afternoon. The shutout improved the Saints to 34-28 in the regular season as the team sits 3 1/2 games off the International League lead, while the Indians fell to 25-38.
Five Saint Paul pitchers combined on the six-hitter, with Ty Langenberg earning the win with 2 1/3 innings of one-hit, three-strikeout relief of starter John Klein, who pitched the game’s first 2 2/3 frames. C.J. Culpepper closed out the contest by hurling a one-hit ninth to earn his first save of the season.
Second baseman Tanner Schobel’s RBI single in the fourth plated right fielder Gabriel Gonzalez to put the Saints up for good at 1-0. First baseman Aaron Sabato followed that up with a two-run single that drove home outfielders Luis Hernandez and Kyler Fedko that brought the count to its eventual 3-0 final.
St. Paul has a standard off-day on Monday before beginning a six-game series at Toledo (30-32) at 6:05 p.m. Tuesday.
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