“You Mean I Have To Pay It Back?”
I recently began working with an inner city mentoring program in Atlanta called Next Generation Men (NGM). NGM was founded by some former Teach for America alumni after they had witnessed the types of programs that were being presented to their students. The administration of the schools were focused on bringing outside groups to present programs to help struggling students. Program speakers used fear and scare tactics as a means of motivation in hopes of keeping the students off a path leading to drugs and gangs. NGM founders heard one student say “that’s the fifth time we have heard that same ex-gang member talk about crime and ‘get it’ that gangs are bad.” The founders of NGM asked themselves what other life lessons do these kids need to learn. NGM’s solution was to focus on positive and helpful role models and lessons for their students.