When it comes to gangs, experts say kids are getting involved in gangs as young as 11 and 12 years old.

Dozens of educators with the Socorro Independent School District are better prepared to identify those high-risk students, so they don't fall through the cracks. The district hosted a gang awareness workshop Wednesday with numerous speakers, who work with gangs and at-risk youth.

Jacob Estrada, 18, is now serving time in a detention facility for crimes related to gang activity. He got involved in gangs when he was 13 years old. He lives at the Schaeffer halfway house and will get out next month after being caught with a weapon. He is thankful things didn't turn out worse for him.

"I could have ended up doing something really serious that would landed me in the adult system," said Estrada.

Frank Rios runs the Schaeffer House with the Texas Youth Commission. He explains the facility is for teens who have committed a certain crime. He says the key to keeping them out of places like these is to be able to intercept them early.

"Below all of these problems of criminality and behavioral problems is an emerging but struggling normal adolescence," said Rios.

Rios spoke to dozens of educators with in the Socorro district about identifying kids who are drawn to gangs.