TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – Dozens of young men gathered at Augusta Raa Middle School Saturday for a basketball game, but organizers say the focus went far beyond the court.<\/p>\n
The event was part of Troop 300, a Tallahassee-based mentorship program that uses group activities to teach lessons on manhood, discipline and purpose. <\/p>\n
Troop 300 was founded by Bishop Quincy Griffin of Family Worship and Praise Center, who said the program was created to address a lack of positive male role models for young men.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo many young men are looking for attention in all the wrong places,\u201d Griffin said. \u201cWe decided to give them a father figure, give them somebody they can look up to or to model themselves after.\u201d<\/p>\n
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More than 50 boys are enrolled in the program, which meets every two weeks and connects participants with adult mentors from a range of professions.<\/p>\n
Mentors include church members, doctors, professors and entrepreneurs, Griffin said. He added that representation plays a key role in helping mentees see new possibilities for their futures.<\/p>\n
For parents like Matletha Bennette, whose 13-year-old son is in the program, the impact is significant. \u201cBeing a young Black boy transitioning from middle school to high school, it\u2019s essential that he has positive influences around him,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Griffin said the mission is simple: invest in young men now to help build strong leaders for the future.<\/p>\n
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