Principles of Success Mantra

"I am what I believe I am.  I can be anything I believe I can be.  Therefore, I choose to believe, that if I try my best in everything I do, I am going to have a successful and productive life."

Hello newsletter readers! I hope you are having a great 2018 thus far.

We have selected the Principles of Success participants for 2018 and will have a class of approximately 30 young men. We are excited about the 2018 class which will also include at least six alumni participants. It is so encouraging to the POS leadership team to read comments by alumni participants expressing why they want to come back to the program in 2018.
 

Tyon James-- I would simply like to come back and help the mentors guide and teach the mentees in the best way possible. In addition, I believe there is still a lot for me to gain and learn from this program. To come back for another year would be great exposure and an enlightening experience. I believe that the way the leaders/mentors led the program last year was very effective and that it should be ran in the same way this year. This will help me in all of the areas that I struggle or have a lack of confidence in.
 

Isaiah Nelms-- I love it! It helped me to see the best in myself and to push myself to be better in all areas of my life. I am talking more about going to college and thinking about what that would look like. That is due to my experience last year at the POS program. Program leaders can assist me in getting ready for the ACT, thinking about college opportunities, and some career goals.

Khalid Nelms-- I attended the program for the first time last year and truly enjoyed the experience. I would like to attend again to connect with other young men my age, focus on areas that were presented last year to become more astute, and to build fruitful relationships with the mentor(s). Program leaders can help me to work on my study habits, prioritizing skills, study for the ACT, and mentoring me in next steps for college.
 

Marcel Pullard-- I would like to return because even though sometimes I did not feel like getting up on Saturday morning, once I got there I enjoyed it, I learned a lot, and I met new people. Talking to my mentor weekly was motivational and having the opportunity to go out with him to be exposed to new things was fun and educational. I would like to return and maybe be considered for an opportunity to be a peer mentor and encourage other young guys who are new to the program. I would like an opportunity to learn more about specific careers and what it takes to get to the top. What I really would like is an opportunity to work with a mentor who can teach me about investing money. I have earned money as an actor and I would like to learn how to invest some of it in companies that interest me and companies that just make money!

Jordan Franklin-- I would love to be able to mentor the incoming participants of the Principals of Success Program. It would also benefit me, allowing me to relearn some of the lessons I've already learned during my first time participating in POS. The program leaders can assist me by helping me mentor the new participants.

David Purdom-- I would like to continue to participate and POS because I find out that as a young man there's still so much for me to learn. I also must be honest with myself when I say that I did not use my time to the best productivity when I came the first time I would like to share my mistake with others and improve Myself by continuing the trail that has been set. I appreciate you reviewing my application and I hope to hear from you in the future. I'd like to enhance my capacity for leadership. As well I would like the opportunity to pass on what I have learned in Prior year with those that are coming in. The great thing about POS is all things are possible if you look out and understand that everything begins with you first.

It is enormously motivating to me to know that our program is having such a significant impact on our participants, especially when I see that these young men want to give back to those who will follow them. I am confident that their involvement will enhance the effectiveness of our efforts to inform, inspire and motivate the young men who will comprise our 2018 POS class.

Don Dyer

Executive Director

NEW!!! Parent Workshops Coming!

Why Should You Get Involved?

Research shows that getting parents involved in youth mentoring programs is beneficial for the program, the parents and youth. Mentoring programs that involve parents and caregivers are more likely to have positive outcomes for youth. Additionally, research into the relationship between parents and mentoring outcomes suggests that much of the impact on mentoring programs may be due to the role the parent plays. That is to say, the stronger the parental connection to the mentoring program the more successful the mentor to mentee relationship and the more positive the outcome. Furthermore, parents function as the primary socialization context for their children and can serve to reinforce skills and program messages.

For these reasons the Principles of Success Motivational Program is offering an innovative way for you to become involved. POS has designed a series of workshops for caregivers of the adolescents enrolled in the program. The workshops are designed to encourage, empower & educate parents. The space provides parents with a broad introduction to the topics that their youth will be learning each month as well as provide them with an opportunity to reflect on their parenting skills and styles, discuss parenting challenges and successes and to receive additional resources and information in a supportive environment. Additionally, parents will be able to form relationships with other parents, which could continue as an additional source of support at the culmination of the program. Our goal is to ensure that parents have the knowledge, skills and resources to continue to reinforce all that their sons learn during their time in POS.

To get you started. We invite you to take our parenting quiz below.

Parenting Quiz

(adapted from: Raising Black Boys, Dr. Jawanza Kunjufu)

Instructions: Make a copies of the quiz. Both you and your son complete the quiz individaully - you grade yourself and have your son grade you. Honestly grade yourself between an A and an F on the questions below. Once completed, compare your answers. Have a discussion with your son about his perspective and your intentions. The goal is not necessarily to get all “A’s” but to gain insight and to talk openly about your relationship with your son. 

Facilitator's Perspective

WHY I VOLUNTEER: I have been involved with the Principles of Success Motivational Program since its inception.  I volunteer to help cultivate successful future outcomes for the young men in our community.  As I reflect back on my childhood, being raised in a single-parent family home, my mother worked tirelessly to provide for my sister and me as best as she could.  My father was absent from our home and we had no interaction.  In light of his absence, I was fortunate to have several coaches, mentors and role models who had a positive impact on me and were influential in my development as a person. As a result of my own personal experiences and the positive outcomes I have been able to achieve, I have an obligation to pay it forward and help other young men in our community, particularly those who have similar circumstances to my own. 

BENEFITS OF THE PROGRAM: The young men who commit to participating in this program have the unique opportunity of being introduced to and exploring universal principles of success and hearing first-hand from successful African-American men how they have applied those doctrines.  Participants also have the opportunity to build their confidence and self-esteem while enhancing their communication skills.  Furthermore, the program enables participants to network and cultivate lifelong relationships with other participants and mentors who will help them navigate current and future endeavors.

Food for Thought ..