Dare to Be King
Dare to Be King is our newest program, now in its second year and finding great success. YMEN’s Dare To Be King program is in two schools (Henson, Chicago Westside elementary schools) working with sixth, seventh and eighth grade youth. This leadership program offers intervention services for about 60 students who are hand-picked by teachers as of the greatest risk for dropping out, delinquency, violence, and possible incarceration. YMEN steps in to change their path by working with them in the areas of conflict management, academic motivation, violence prevention, peer relations, and making positive choices. The 40-session program includes units in:
- Understanding the masculine role in broader society
- Violence in the home, in the hood, and in the world
- Weapons and their detrimental role in conflict management
- Influence of the gangster lifestyle on today’s youth
- How peer pressure influences one’s decisions
- Dealing with inner rage
- Understanding street law and its misconceptions
- The role of rap music within the culture
- Coping with grief and loss
The program is led by Marcus Thorne (bio), who has created an environment of mentorship and brotherhood that has impressed the staff at the schools as well as solidified YMEN’s presence as a catalyst of change in these young men’s lives.
For more information about the curriculum, visit the Dare to Be King website.
Recent Updates
- YMEN’s Auction is Coming!
- I just wanted to remind you that the YMEN 2011 Benefit Auction is only ONE WEEK AWAY! If you haven’t already purchased your ticket or table, or if you want to sponsor Lawndale parent or student to attend, please let me know as soon as possible! We only have a few tables left, and want to make [...] Read More
- Twin stars from West Side show the way
- At last count, just four of 10 black women who enrolled in college after graduating from a Chicago public school finished in six years. About 70 percent of black girls in Chicago graduate from high school. Trout invited her former students — girls she and her husband have mentored, sheltered in their home for a time [...] Read More
- Amazing News: Past, Present, and Future
- Past: Just this past week I attended the college graduations of our YMEN twins: Valonda and Victoria Roberts from Southern Illinois University and Denison University in Ohio. It was a powerful example of what hard work, determination, and a loving community can bring about. I am a proud papa! Present: Trucks are currently preparing and [...] Read More
