Silverbacks Share Wisdom With Covenant House Students
Covenant House Academy provides at - risk youth in our communities with new opportunities to earn a high school diploma, improve their life skills, and the academic foundation to continue on to higher education or post -secondary skills training.
On December 7, Principal Markeith Large, along with male staff and the mentoring group, The "Silverbacks", hosted a "Chat and Chew Mentoring Workshop Event" targeted to all 172 currently enrolled male students at Covenant.
The Silverback Society is an organization that supports, trains and coordinates together to make a positive impact on young men. They do this by teaching different ways to show leadership, what it means to be respectful, and how to show and receive love — all to promote higher academic achievement, and more productive young men.
"Silverbacks is symbolic because the Silverback Gorillaa have the grey stripe going down their back. The stripe represents the wisdom of the group. and we are giving wisdom to our youth," said Covenant House Principal Markeith Large.
On the day of the workshop, mentors and staff welcomed students to Covenant House Academy's first "Sports Lounge" where the Silverbacks were able to connect with the students, by giving them advice and extra - support.
This event was an opportunity for the mentors to share stories on their struggles, successes, but, more importantly, to sit down and fellowship with students over lunch in conversations about some of the trials and dreams.
Mr. Large said this Covenant House partnership with the Silverbacks was an opportunity for students to connect with males who once were in some of the same positions that our students currently are in. A panel spoke to the young men.
Large said, "I had about 10 mentors, so I pretty much did all of the talking — basically introducing the mentors so that they could develop a relationship with the students. The mentors are friends of mine who went on to be successful and do well for themselves."
After the introductions, the men came off the panel, integrated themselves among the students for conversation over lunch.
Mr. Large said, "During this interaction, students got a chance to eat and just vibe with these brothers, who let the students know that they could identify with them and that they had been through the some of the same trials and tribulations that these students are going through. The mentors were also there to give the students some hope."
He continued, "The three things that I wanted to focus on were love, hope and achievement and I think that this group of mentors represents that.
He added, "The love is their giving back to the youth; the hope is for our youth to grasp everything that they are trying to pour into them, to use it for their betterment; and the achievement is the success of the accomplished individuals letting the students know that they can become successful as well."
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