Raising the Bar with “Man-Up” Mentoring
By Don King | New Britain Fire Marshall at April 23, 2024 | 6:00 pm | Print
Ed DeJesus does not just go through the motions in anything he does. Instead he continuously “raises the bar” for himself personally and those around him, and the results are truly extraordinary.
Mr. DeJesus has worked for the Consolidated School District of New Britain for twenty years, the past nine as a guidance counselor at New Britain High School—in that time period Mr. DeJesus has not missed a day of work.
“Every year, here at New Britain High School, we see an increase of students coming from broken families and fatherless homes. This cultural epidemic has escalated to such high proportions that it has created a void in students’ lives which often manifests itself in students making poor choices, both academically and behaviorally” said Mr. DeJesus. In order to address this phenomenon, Mr. DeJesus decided it was time to create the “Man Up” male mentoring and leadership program.
“The “Man Up” mentoring and leadership program, which was created by DeJesus three years ago, meets every Tuesday after school in room127. It is a safe place where young men in grades 9-12 can meet to discuss issues, connect with male mentors from the community, work on their academics and have some fun. The “Man Up” leadership program has three phases. Phase I consists of using “seasoned” male volunteers from the community (youth leaders, motivational speakers, pastors, coaches, etc…) in sharing their knowledge/ experiences through group counseling sessions and recreational activities.
“This retention program targets those students with poor attendance, poor grades, or who are emotionally withdrawn from school and may lack the social skills to interact functionally with their peers” said Mr. DeJesus. “But it’s also a leadership program where students learn leadership principles, apply team work and character development activities, adding towards their overall development as men. Because the Man-Up motto’s is the development of Mind, Body, and Spirit, the group also trains together (biking, weight training, kickboxing, etc.) on Thursdays and does weekend fieldtrips throughout the year. After a student has proven they can maintain the commitment necessary to join the program, and signs a contact, the student receives a blazer with a “Man-Up” logo and are required to dress up once/twice a week.”
Phase II of this program focuses on the academic and character component of the students’ lives.
“Students who have chosen to continue with the program will be required to attend mandatory tutoring and fill out weekly homework checklists. They will be provided with organizers, book bags, and other school related materials to assist them in their academics” said Mr. DeJesus.
A “Character Improvement” checklist in currently in the works and will eventually be incorporated into Phase III. Phase III consists of “Man Up” alumni members, who have graduated from high school and who are furthering their education, giving back to the program by becoming the mentors for students currently in the program.
A tenth grade student currently in Phase II, stated that since joining the program “he has been taking part in events and activities that he didn’t even know about before he became involved!”
Mr. DeJesus is the type of person who changes the course of history simply by caring about others. Noticing a counterproductive trend occurring amongst the young men at the high school, he chose to create the “Man Up” program rather than sit idly by. Now, Mr. DeJesus is inviting members of the public to make a difference by getting involved by becoming a volunteer mentor/ speaker for the group. Please contact Mr. Ed DeJesus for more details at 860-225-6300 (extension 812).
Ed DeJesus contributed to this story.
