The Boyz2Men programme has welcomed more than 160 boys into its high-school-based mentorship initiative, which has been empowering at-risk young men in the Cayman Islands since 2009.
The latest cohort for its 14th induction ceremony held 1 Oct., comprises boys from John Gray High School, Hope Academy and Clifton Hunter High School.
Representatives of the more than 20 partners of the programme attended as well to support the initiative, including the Department of Education Services, Cayman Counselling Services, RCIPS, Ernst and Young, Dart and KPMG.
Mentors and community partners helped the young men put on their traditional Boyz2Men ties, marking the start of their journey in the programme and a symbolic transition from boys to men.
During the induction service, the boys, age 13-16, heard from programme partners who offered encouragement to the young men.
As part of the ceremony, they took an oath to adhere to the programme’s core values, which include supporting each other, engaging in service projects, setting personal goals
and embracing challenges.
Programme founder Christopher Murray told the Cayman Compass, “We’re inching [toward] watching boys get the encouragement to continue to be successful in their endeavours. After leaving high school, not being comfortable with mediocrity, but trying to aspire towards achieving necessary goals.
“We have instituted a special class through RBC to help our boys with maths. We’ve seen success through this initiative and presented special awards to the boys for their achievement and we celebrated them. And their teachers are also responsible for this success as well.”
A total of 747 boys have passed through the programme so far.
The theme for this year’s cohort is ‘Practice’. The boys will work closely with mentors and participate in a number of life-skills initiatives, presentations, workshops, team-building activities and, lastly, social etiquette training in a fine-dining environment.
“They’re going to be encouraged, they’re going to be lifted, they’re going to have fun and build a brotherhood,” Murray said.
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