The Boys to Men Mentoring Network has created a Boys to Men Club inside a San Diego Middle School.
In early September, Boys To Men co-founder Joe Sigurdson approached Spring Valley Middle School to gauge their interested in creating a Boys to Men community inside the school. Sigurdson met with the school's 8th grade boy's counselor Bruce Crenshaw and outlined the Boys to Men program. This opened the door to a meeting with the school's principal and a follow-up presentation to the school board. The presentation was well received and approved, resulting in a Boys to Men Club being created inside Spring Valley Middle School.
Principal and School Board Had To Be "Enrolled" in the Program
Before implementing the program at Spring Valley, Boys to Men had to address a few obstacles. First was enlisting the support of the principal, then a proposal had to be prepared for the School District to approve. "Bruce Crenshaw helped us negotiate through both of those," noted Sigurdson. "He invited several young men to a Boys to Men orientation one evening, and six boys initially signed up for the November training." This will be the first collaborative weekend Boys to Men has done with a public school. Crenshaw noted that this was just the beginning, "I'm very excited about what this program will do to help our boys," exclaimed Crenshaw.
Currently, eight Spring Valley Middle School boys will be going through the Boys to Men training. The potential benefits for the school, the boys, parents, teachers and Boys to Men has generated tremendous enthusiasm. "This is the most exciting opportunity I have found in my 22 years as a school counselor," noted Crenshaw.
"Our friends from The East County Posse, a philanthropic group, will generously support the eight boys and their families," said Sigurdson. "A special thanks goes to Mark Allan, our long-time mentor and supporter for his efforts. And kudos to Greg Brown, the founder of The East County Posse for his passionate response to this need."
Providing Role Models to help Boys Transition to Manhood
Boys to Men was created to guide boys aged 13-17 through their passage to manhood. The organization gives today's boys positive role models and mentors. This is something sorely lacking in many boy's lives. Especially those faced with the daily negative influences of gangs, drugs, Internet pornography, and teen pregnancies. Regrettably, many boys don't have positive masculine role models to guide them. Which is why good boys are often drawn into lives that destroy their future. Had a mentor been there to offer positive options, to weigh consequences and choose the right path, these boys would have become productive, well adjusted men.
Filling a Leadership Need Around the World
Through the guidance of highly trained mentors, Boys to Men teaches boys integrity, accountability, compassion and respect. Sadly, too many of today's boys grow up fatherless. Boys to Men fills a leadership need. "Over 3,300 boys have gone through the Boys to Men program," said Joe Sigurdson "We've grown exponentially in the last few years, with centers in 28 cities and four countries."
Three-Part Program Guides Boys to Men
Boys to Men has three components: Reclaim Your Teenage Fire Training gives men a new perspective on mentoring boys; Rites of Passage Adventure (ROPA) Weekend provides a powerful bonding experience that creates trust, respect and builds close connections between boys and their Mentors; and Ongoing Group Mentoring has (ROPA graduates) meet their Mentors every two weeks to continue strengthening the bonds they formed during the ROPA weekend. "Boys and Mentors spend more time together on this weekend than a typical mentor program provides in six months," exclaimed Sigurdson.
Boys to Men Needs Your Support!
The Boys to Men Mentoring Network is a non-profit 501-c3 corporation. Those who wish to get involved with Boys to Men, either individually or as a corporate sponsor, should call (619) 469-9599 or email boystomen(at)cox(dot)net. More information is available at http://www.boystomen.org. Also see the founders on FOX TV at http://www.boystomen.org/boys-to-men/youth-mentoring/fox-news6-06262008.
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