Taylor Smith, Program Director

Taylor was adopted from South Korea where he grew up in Arizona, Florida, and eventually rooted in Iowa in 2007.

His entire life he had always been rebellious, risk-taking, and pushed limits. These behaviors led him to experimenting with alcohol and drugs by the age of 13. Through his later teens into adulthood, he had been arrested multiple times for drinking and drug related incidents. This lifestyle progressively got worse until he was intercepted trafficking drugs across state borders. He was charged with multiple felonies and faced a potential 10 year prison sentence. 

Looking back, this is still the worst, but best, experience of his life, as it was the catalyst to change the direction of his life. This began by discontinuing the use of alcohol and drugs. Taylor believed doing clean and sober in itself would be the solution to a better life, which he soon found out was not the complete answer. Over the next 2-3 years, Taylor spent time getting involved with his college and NA communities in Ames, Iowa. There, he not only learned how to not revolve his life around drugs and alcohol, but what it meant to be accountable, responsible, and have discipline. 

During this time of change, Taylor changed his college major from business to psychology and criminal justice to help others avoid the same path he took. He graduated from Iowa State University in Spring 2016 with a B.S. in psychology and criminal justice. From there, Taylor went to work at the juvenile treatment facility, Woodward Academy. Over 5.5 years at Woodward Academy, Taylor was a treatment counselor, caseworker, and group leader. He learned how to build relationships and motivate young men and women to challenge themselves and better their lives by taking control of their actions.

Taylor joined Harvest Academy in July of 2021. Through his lived experience of being an addict and criminal as well as his training from Woodward Academy, he quickly adjusted to the classic therapeutic community philosophy.

William Sisemore, Program Staff

William was born in Oklahoma and raised in Cherokee, Iowa by his mother and stepfather. Growing up, William enjoyed camping and swimming, pretty much anything outdoors. William struggled with substances throughout his teen years and adulthood which led him to a life of incarceration and homelessness. He realized he had hit rock bottom and if he did not do something to make a drastic change, he would soon end up dead or spend the rest of his life in and out of prisons and institutions. During his last six month jail stint, he came across Harvest Academy.

Coming to Harvest Academy, William did not necessarily know what he wanted, but knew what he needed to get away from; which was the lifestyle that was slowly killing him and any chance at a productive life. By making a commitment to change his life by completing the program, William took the first step towards personal responsibility and accountability for his life. He quickly learned the deep character defects that had plagued him his entire life and over time learned to combat and choose healthy alternatives. Throughout William’s stay, he had juggled many vocational responsibilities from being a kitchen manager, facility manager, and a move point along with community responsibilities. 

As his 24-month graduation approached, he decided to stay on for a voluntary third year to continue bettering his chances of having a productive life, as well as helping the students that came in after him. William continued being a valuable member of the Harvest Academy community where he was eventually offered a formal position as a program staff after completion of his third year.

As a program staff, William is a mentor and guide to the students as they go through the same journey that changed his life. The fact that William went through the program himself, better helps him relate and connect to the students while giving instant credibility that change is possible. Today William wakes up with ambition and a purpose to help individuals that have gone down the same road he did. “It’s not easy, but it’s never too late to change.

Troy Roberts, Program Staff

Troy grew up on the south side of Des Moines and was raised by a single mother. Most of his childhood was spent playing baseball amongst other sports which he excelled at.

As Troy got older he found that his love for sports started to dwindle and he began putting time and effort into all the wrong things. These choices led him to a life of criminality and substance use. What started merely as recreational use, eventually developed into habit, which then transformed into his lifestyle. He got into trafficking narcotics which ultimately led to him being raided and arrested. Understanding that continuing on this path was going to land him in prison for a majority of his life or worse, dead, he knew that something had to change. And while being incarcerated he found that opportunity in Harvest Academy.

Troy has gone through and graduated the Harvest Academy program, and along the way successfully discharged probation and voluntarily chosen to stick around to continue his own growth and contribute to others growth along the way. Today Troy is now employed as one of our program staff at Harvest Academy.

“I was lost and broken. Because of Harvest Academy I have been able to find, and piece myself back together. I have a purpose now. That purpose is helping those who have hit rock bottom, rise up and become the individuals they can be. The work is hard, but nothing in life worth having comes easy.”"