EAST ALTON - East Alton’s Eastwood Elementary School has a special program for its young men.
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The Boyz 2 Men Mentorship Program allows fourth and fifth graders to engage with male role models as they complete community service projects. Male volunteers and teachers meet with this group of students once a month. The adults noted the students have grown a lot since the program’s inception.
“I’m really proud of these kids,” said Eric Hensley, a fifth grade teacher at Eastwood. “A lot of schools could use it, but we definitely saw the need here. I liked the idea of it because some of these kids, they’re not always the most successful in the classroom, but you see so much potential. So it was nice to have some sort of outlet for them to do, to be able to show off what they can do. I feel like they have a little bit more freedom and self-confidence in this group, which is good for them to practice and use.”
Angela Gray, East Alton School District #13 social worker, collaborated with Principal Ashley Lowe to conceptualize the program three years ago. They recruited Hensley and fourth grade teacher Nick Dorsey to act as the advisors. Blake Compton and Tyler Lafferty, two volunteers from the community, also come in every month to engage with the students.
Gray and mindfulness teacher Michelle Steiniger-Bunt explained that the Boyz 2 Men students might not have a positive male role model in their homes. This program pairs them with mentors. The teachers carefully selected the students who participate in the program.
“We thought about, ’What could we do for the boys in the school that just need a little bit extra guidance?’ And this is what we came up with,” Dorsey explained. “It’s been a growing and changing process, but I think we’re really starting to get to where we're having a good impact on these boys…It’s really important for them because a lot of them need a group to belong to.”
Over the past few months, the Boyz 2 Men program participants have picked up sticks for a nearby church, served drinks to the seniors at the recreation center, and made keychains with residents at the nursing home. They hope to soon plant a community garden at Eastwood Elementary.
The students have responded to the program. Cole, a fourth grader, shared that he loves taking pictures with the group and hopes to one day be a doctor. Fifth grader Charlie, who wants to become an engineer or a mechanic, loves doing fun things and learning “about how to be a bigger person.”
“I love how it teaches people to be good,” added Atticus, a fifth grade aspiring MBA player. “It’s just a good program for people.”
The teachers and volunteers are proud of the work they’ve done with the students, and they hope the program continues to grow so they can impact more kids who could use positive role models. They also hope the students will continue to grow their bonds so they can support each other in middle school and beyond.
Hensley and Dorsey noted that their dream is for these students to go on to join organizations, athletic teams or other groups in high school. Gray, Lowe and Steiniger-Bunt are eager to start a similar group for the school’s young ladies. All of the adults are proud of how the students have grown in the past few months.
Lafferty summarized the experience by noting his gratitude for the chance to give back and impact kids who could use a little extra help. He believes this program can go a long way toward building empowered young men.
“It’s being from here and having that burning passion to help those kids, because I wish I would have had someone help me. I didn’t have that help until later on in life,” he said. “I still remember those influential people. And I’m not saying I’m an influential person for any of these kids, but maybe I could be…Some kids, they just need that light, and sometimes they have a hard time unlocking that light. I think having that group bond goes a long way.”
The Boyz 2 Men program recently received a SCORE grant, but Gray noted they are always accepting donations to sustain the program and provide more opportunities for the students. For more information about the Boyz 2 Men program, including how to support it, contact East Alton School District #13.
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