Mentoring to Manhood

M2M Cookout & Awards Celebration

admin — Mon, 13 May 2013 19:53:10 +0000

M2M End of year Cookout & Awards Celebration

Saturday , June 8,2013

Fox Hill Rec Park – 5011 Collington Rd

Bowie, MD 20715

Come on out and celebrate with us over barbeque , fellowship, and some kickball !!!

Mentoring to Manhood is working with Do More 24

admin — Mon, 13 May 2013 16:20:43 +0000

Do More 24™ is more than just one day of fundraising…it’s the next generation of online giving. It’s a local movement that is leveraging the power of the crowd to support our region’s nonprofits through focused, online giving directed at creating maximum impact. We are building an innovative platform that will allow donation tracking and progress, give users the opportunity to see who else is participating, and experience something they have never seen before: real people feeling the effect of giving in real time.

Do More 24 is funded and powered by United Way of the National Capital Area and is graciously supported by a group of committed community and corporate sponsors.

For more information about Do More 24, please refer to our FAQ’s or contact 202.488.2009 or questions@domore24.org.

“Leadership Retreat 2013″

admin — Mon, 13 May 2013 15:28:17 +0000

Please take a look at the newest video from M2M…

“Leadership Retreat 2013″

Mentoring to Manhood in the Washington Post

admin — Fri, 10 May 2013 18:45:49 +0000

Robert Malone and neighbor Arthur Jones-Dove live comfortably in Prince George’s County. Both are MBAs and are successful in their respective professions. Nobody would blame them if they chose to sit around the house on Saturdays and just enjoy the fruits of their labors. Nobody, that is, except them.“What’s the point of us celebrating ourselves, knowing that so many young folks are being left behind?” said Malone, 42, who is chief business development officer for Volunteers of America Chesapeake.

You don’t hear a lot of talk like that these days. Mostly, it’s “I got mine; you get yours.” And if you don’t have, you must not deserve. Malone and Jones-Dove could not accept that way of thinking. So, in 2005, they started a Saturday mentoring program at their homes in Upper Marlboro, called Mentoring to Manhood — or M2M. Any youngster from the county, regardless of attitude or economic circumstance, would be welcomed.“The first time we met, nobody showed up,” said Jones-Dove, 40, a civil engineer and associate vice president with Louis Berger Water Services in Baltimore.But they kept at it. Both men belong to churches that emphasize reliance on faith and prayer. Instead of just lamenting a lost generation of young black males, they would laud the ones who were found and saved by grace. Before long, like-minded men began to join in.

“I know that I couldn’t keep driving by this problem; I had to take ownership of it,” said Steven Raines, 54, a retired X-ray technician who has been a mentor at M2M for two years. “I can look at these kids and say, ‘That used to be me.’ But somebody reached out and helped me, so I know what I’m doing can make a difference.”

There are no easy fixes, of course. Only 55 percent of black males graduate from Prince George’s public high schools. A high incarceration rate and high unemployment and poverty rates indicate serious structural flaws in the nation’s economic and education systems. No point pretending that mentoring is going to solve all that.

But mentoring sure helps. A lot.

More than 300 youngsters have participated in M2M since it started eight years ago.

The nonprofit organization’s program now meets at three schools in the county, having long outgrown the mentors’ homes. I recently visited one group at Kettering Middle School in Upper Marlboro, where about a dozen mentors were working with about 40 youngsters, ages 12 to 17.

Like Malone and Jones-Dove, all of the mentors rejected the notion that we succeed in life by individual effort alone. They understood that we all need a helping hand from time to time; better still, a shoulder to stand on.

“I was tired of reading about one in three black males getting caught up in the criminal justice system or how so many black fourth-graders didn’t know how to read,” said Therman Evans, 41, a speechwriter for the National Education Association and chairman of the M2M board. “We wanted to change that. We knew it wouldn’t be easy. But we were committed. We would use patience and love. We would love the foolishness out of even the most challenging ones.”

The median grade-point average for students entering the mentoring program is about 1.8. For at least three hours every Saturday, they get tutoring in subjects where they are faring poorly and help in sharpening their “life skills.” The results have been impressive.

According to the High School Assessment tool used by the county, M2M students showed a 25 percent improvement rate in their overall GPA last year. And at least 75 percent of youths in the program demonstrated improvement in observable social behavior and parental relationships, according to a M2M survey that was conducted using the National Mentoring Partnership’s pre- and post-program assessment.

About 70 percent of the students being mentored come from single-parent homes. Unfortunately, there are some among us who would refuse to help such students, choosing instead to blame their parents — especially the fathers — for not doing their jobs. Mentors, thank goodness, are not so self-righteous; just righteous as they selflessly step into the breach.

“Some of us had fathers, some of us did not — but all of us have the capacity for showing unconditional love,” Malone said. “It’s just something in our hearts that tugs at us to do something to help them.”

Mentoring to Manhood gives black teens in Prince George’s a shoulder to stand on posted on May 7

2nd Annual ” Silence the Violence” Basketball Game

admin — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 15:29:03 +0000

Hundreds of people came together to take on violence in Prince George’s County. They packed Suitland High School’s gym for a fundraising basketball game called “Silence the Violence.” on April 12, 2013

The money raised is being given to the families of recent victims of crime in the county.

Two of the victims attended Suitland High School. 18-year-old Aaron Kidd was killed while standing with friends and 15-year-old Charles Walker Jr., who was shot in the back while trying to get away from a robbery.

Kidd’s mom, Theresa Williams, says “It’s been tough on me and my daughter, But I know the Newspaper wants to highlight our ignorance but I don’t “

The fundraising basketball game is to help the victim’s families with the financial strain they are under.

Several groups including Eastern Motors and county officials are helping to make it possible.

Charles Walker Jr.’s mother, Latasha Massey, says she is grateful for the support.

“You don’t expect to bury a child, and me, a mom doing it by myself with four kids, you don’t expect it,” says Massey. “It’s the worse to be alone to deal with the grief, but then to deal with the cost of everything, it’s the worse, and this will help a lot.”

This is the second year that the fundraiser has been held.

There was no specific money goal set, but the organizers were hoping to raise thousands of dollars for the families.

If you were unable to join us, Please check out the highlights

Silence The Violence 2

2012 Anger Resolution Workshop

admin — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 18:22:41 +0000

I found M2M’s Anger Resolution Workshop to be an emotional, purposeful, life-altering event. The day began with a test, which, as I completed it, I was very astounded to discover that many of my behaviors and actions are a byproduct of anger. Using the book Breaking Free From Anger & Unforgiveness by Linda Mintle, PhD, Rob Malone led a review of the test and identified the common causes and triggers of anger, and how we can “unlearn” that behavior.

This was followed by a group discussion, led by a panel consisting of a local pastor, school counselor, and former M2M mentee. I found this segment to be profound! Attendees shared personal stories, recited with real emotion and tears. They were tender, deep-rooted issues which, without out a workshop such as this one may have never surfaced. I was moved to hear about what some of the other parents are dealing with from their growing sons and realized that I’m not the only one, and that my situation could be worse. Families were then given the time to document their stories and work through thoughts, behaviors, feelings, and how to address these issues in the future.

The Anger Resolution Workshop allowed my son and myself to go beyond the yelling to get to the root of recurring issues, and more importantly how to deal with anger. The seeds planted in this workshop, as well as many of the other programs hosted by M2M, will foster healthy future relationships for my son in his family, school and community.

Mentor Corner

admin — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 18:21:52 +0000

M2M Amazing Race!

The afternoon of September 22^nd was the perfect day for a scavenger hunt, and our friends at City Hunt created a fantastic event for us specially crafted around M2M’s Three C’s. We divided up into teams of five to compete for who could gather a list of pictures such as the majestic Hope Diamond as well as create their own “Night in the Museum” in front of the skeletal remains of a T-Rex (both at the Natural History Museum). The mixture of game and photographic art creatively engaged the boys to step out of their comfort zones and overcome their own inhibitions. We laughed, we fought fatigue, we encouraged and pushed each other. In other words, it was great!

Parent Corner

admin — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 18:17:58 +0000

As we come into the 2012-13 academic year with Mentoring to Manhood, we look forward to positive and productive accomplishments in our Young Men. Whether we are new or have been with the Program for many years, the new academic year is a time to consider how we can make the most of the wonderful opportunities available to us at M2M. I wanted to share part of a note from a parent we received recently that shows how they have done just that.

“As M2M deposited wisdom and demonstrated love and commitment, he matured and transformed in many ways … Accidently, I broke Daniel’s television, so I asked him do you want me to buy you a new TV. He commented no, because I don’t have time to watch TV. Can you imagine the tears falling from my eyes because my son has had an epiphany valuing his homework over Monday night football! I’m expecting great things from Daniel. Thanks for planting a seed.”

Throughout the year we will organize workshops and presentations that will have a great interest and beneficial support to the parents. Check out the Events Calendar for our upcoming meetings!

Together, We Are Taking It to the Next Level

M2M — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 09:51:58 +0000

Seven years ago, I could not have imagined the growth we have seen in this organization. Today, we are operating out of two sites, with 20 mentors serving more than 50 boys and a group of incredible parents who are determined to see their boys succeed.

Our success has been recognized throughout the area. Most recently, the Catalogue for Philanthropy recognized M2M as one of the best small nonprofit organizations in the Greater Washington region. We also received critical support from Prince George’s County government and our first grant from the Eugene & Agnes E. Meyer Foundation, both of who recognize the importance of our work to the growth and development of black boys and the county at-large.

It all began with a vision, lots of prayers and committed individuals like you. When I think about this journey we have taken together, I am reminded of the old Latin phrase, E Pluribus Unum which means, “out of many, one.” Truly, we are many voices, but with one mission. I wanted to share with you a few of our exciting outcomes from this school year:

Participation was increased by 40% over last year! Out of 47 students new this year, 35 stayed in the program for the entire year; 16 returned from last year and 8 have participated for several years.
100% of boys reported that they agree or strongly agree that M2M has “made me want to try harder in school” and “helped me learn how to make better decisions”.
Academic improvement was demonstrated by an average 17% increase in overall GPA. Six boys increased their GPA by at least one entire grade level!
Started new partnerships with Tender Warriors Association and Men Aiming Higher, which resulted in our first Charity Basketball Tournament (see the video in News)

I often imagine what the next seven years will look like. It’s exciting to think of all of the possibilities! While we can’t predict the future, I do know that we can’t get there if we don’t come together and stay together.

If you ever watch a flock of geese in the air, you’ll notice that they fly in an almost perfect “V” formation. Engineers figured out that these geese can travel much further together than separately because when one bird flaps its wings, it lifts up those that follow. As we move forward, let’s continue to lift each other up and lend our voices to the vision of ensuring that our young boys become great men of character, promise and purpose.

Finally, most people recognized the number seven as the number of completion. By no means, are we close to completing this work. So, we hope that you will continue this journey with us for the next seven years and beyond. Thank you again for your support and we look forward to seeing you real soon.

Therman Evans, Board Chair

Parent Corner

admin — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 14:27:18 +0000

This has been an exciting year for the parents of Mentoring to Manhood. We are helping M2M be successful by being present and engaged in our son’s lives. We learned quickly that we have to take that responsibility or no one else will.

Since I have been the Chair of the Parent Committee, we have been involved in every aspect of the program from fundraising, to event planning, to academic conferences to ensure that our sons are striving in the classroom. Our goal has been to increase support to parents and to develop a strong partnership with M2M staff.

We parents are the connective tissue in the growth and development of our young men. Uninvolved parents leave an unreasonable burden of raising our boys on our government and community. President Obama said recently that “parents who don’t parent” is one of the most serious challenges facing the country. He has encouraged parents all the across the nation “to turn off the TV set, make sure your child is doing their homework, have a curfew so your child’s not out all hours of the night and if your child misbehaves in school, don’t curse out the teacher.”

We know that this can be a heavy burden for many parents because they are raising sons alone. But if we do it together and stay committed the results will be endless.

It is now time to transition chairmanship of the Parent Committee to someone who will provide new energy and carry the torch of high achievement even further. Karen Scott is perfectly suited to do just that. I hope you give her the same kind of love, respect and commitment that you gave me. Please welcome and congratulate Karen the next time you see her. I look forward to another great year.

Marjorie Wells