CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte-based nonprofit "Be There Dad" is stepping up to help Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools launch an initiative to get more male volunteers and mentors on all of its campuses this school year.
"We're open to do whatever the leadership of the school needs us to do to help the kids fulfill their potential," Jeffrey Usher, the nonprofit's founder, said.
Usher has worked with CMS for 10 years to establish "Be There Dad" groups on campuses. In the past, the groups have coordinated field days, service days, grounds clean-ups and tutoring sessions.
At the end of last school year, a group at Highland Creek Elementary volunteered to walk the halls following the deadly Uvalde, Texas school shooting.
"A group of men standing out in front of the campus gives you this sense of security and safety," Usher explained. "For parents dropping off their kids, it gives them a sense of calmness that their kids are probably in a safe environment."
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Usher says research shows a male presence in school improves academic growth, performance and even behavior.
CMS community engagement officials tell WCNC Charlotte they intend to build a bridge across the district connecting all CMS departments to reach as many community partners as possible to launch the "CMS Male Empowerment Network" mentoring initiative this fall.
The initiative will primarily focus on first, second and third graders who have been impacted by the learning gap brought on by the pandemic.
"I envisioned, it'll probably be like individual tutoring for kids that, that need individual help individual help for small groups, or individuals," Usher said.
The network has four mentoring pillars:
- Attendance / Academics (CMS Check and Connect program)
- Social and Emotional and Behavior (CMS Restorative Practice)
- The Power of Presence (Be There Dad)
- Life After High School (College and Career Readiness with the UNCC META program)
So far, several other men's groups have pledged to participate, including My Brother's Keeper (MBK), Be There Dad, All Pro Dad's, and Project BOLT. The network will specifically train men in the community on how to mentor and volunteer.
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"What I see, this may be the largest, or maybe one of the few or only districts that has, you know, put in place a system-wide effort to engage men in all their schools, that's going to be really exciting for a lot of people," Usher said.
Contact Fred Shropshire at fred@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.