Boys’ and Girls’ Club hosts ‘Maleness to Manhood’
By Gerald Pace
For the St. Louis American
This past weekend 82 youth began the journey from boys to men at the Mathews-Dickey Boys’ and Girls’ Club during its 7th Annual Maleness to Manhood Workshop Series. The weekend was full of events ranging from college workshops, a college fair, an evening in Chase Park Plaza and a worship service at Cote Brilliante Presbyterian Church.
“We found from talking to counselors, parents and coaches that boys were missing the boat,” said Barbara Washington, vice president of Mathews-Dickey Boys’ and Girls’ Club and founder of the Maleness to Manhood Workshop Series.
“They weren’t applying for the ACT or admission into college. The boys have not been as aggressive as women in academics. They come from single-parent homes, where they are made to feel that they are head of the household. They are often given responsibilities that keep them from giving attention to their education. Sometimes they get overlooked.”
Washington saw it as Mathews-Dickey’s responsibility to respond to these challenges.
“Regardless of how adult they look, we as parents need to parent these young men,” she said.
“At sixth grade, they need to start exploring with their parent what type of schools and careers they want. You’ve got to get them in the right thought process before those hormones kick in.”
Washington said “Maleness to Manhood” began as a counterpart to the “Sky is the Limit” Program for girls which annually enrolls 250 people.
“I challenged Mrs. Washington to start this program,” Martin L. Mathews, president and co-founder of the club, said of the program.
“We wanted the boys to catch up with the girls. They were excelling in athletics, but now this program can prepare them for the future.”
The workshop series began Friday with an address from Mathews. Then a college tour open to the public and workshop attendees began. Several local universities and colleges were represented, with a few visiting universities in attendance.
One vendor, Emem Ituen, represented the Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis and also brought her daughter, Tyler Ituen, a 14-year-old 9th grader at Whitfield School, along to participate in the college tour.
“I was pleased with the number of vendors and recruiters that were here and the quality of them,” Ituen said.
“It shows kids that you can rise to the occasion. You can put things in place to get to college. Education is the key that opens many doors. Although some of them were young, even as young as 6th grade, they need to be exposed to it that early.”
The younger Ituen said, “It was good for me to go to the different tables and colleges. I can see what courses I need to take to prepare for college. Today, I’m getting an idea of what I need to do in high school to get me into college.”
During the college tour, the boys enrolled in the “Maleness to Manhood” program participated in workshops on financial aid, college life and ACT preparation. Later that day, the young men met to attend a Cardinals’ game.
Saturday was Career Day. The day began with moral and personal development seminars, which were intended to teach students about business dialogue and dining etiquette. Later, the students were able to meet professional men to develop mentor relationships. The group participated in a panel discussion with Andre Jackson, business editor of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch; Daniel Hodges of Hodges Fine Art; Warren Robinson, district manager of American Family Insurance; Tom Sieckhaus, vice-president of Clayco; and Michael West, manager of Ernst & Young, LLP.
“Maleness to Manhood” participants Brandon Mayweather, George Thompson, Jr., Stacey Sanders, Keith Young, Robert Mondaine, Jr. and Jeremy Ellis received scholarships during the event.
The day also included a trip to the Saint Louis Art Museum, a movie at Chase Park Plaza and a pizza party. The participants also were hosted by the Rev. William G. Gillespie in a church service at Cote Brilliante Presbyterian Church.
“It helped my life by showing us things we can do,” said Michael Hampton, a 17-year-old student at Normandy High School and member of the Mathews-Dickey Boys’ and Girls’ Club for over 12 years.
“One-on-one mentoring helps me a lot concerning the career I want to do. One of the greatest things about the weekend is being paired with CEOs and mangers of major companies. It’s amazing to me when a big business owner comes and you get to eat dinner with him.”
“Many years ago, there was no opportunity or preparation for African Americans. We started this club in 1960, and I prepared them to go out into society and be successful,” Mathews said.
“Every kid wants to succeed. They’ve got to be able to know how to get to a certain place. One way or the other, you’re going to work for it. There is no free lunch in America.”