Programs

Growing Kings has developed and implements a series of programs that builds a continuum from early childhood through college, and into adulthood.  Involved with the continuum are opportunities for mentored students at the college level to also serve as mentors for elementary-aged students.  Although our enrichment and mentoring programs’ primary focus are on students in the 4^th grade through the 12^th grade, we know that there are needs for strong mentors at every age level, and we seek to recruit and train the most qualified men in our markets to fill these roles.  We know that our students face many challenges, and it is our duty to be successful at implementing programs that meet those challenges and teach the students how to overcome all barriers.

Our current program offerings are as follows:

Prince Charming

Prince Charming is a 32-week in-school based literacy program with a curriculum specifically designed for fourth and fifth grade males enrolled in academically, behaviorally and economically challenged urban schools.  Each week this program impacts 50 male youth at each school and is aimed at encouraging them to become accustomed to habitual reading.  Through Prince Charming, the students are provided annual subscriptions to Sports Illustrated for Kids, TIME for Kids, and National Geographic for Kids magazines.  By providing the students with magazines which contain articles and passages of interest to read, they are afforded an opportunity to increase their proficiency, while reading for pleasure.  Each week, our program sessions encourage thoughtful, engaging, and meaningful dialogue around the selected article.  Students take turns reading aloud a sentence or paragraph in the chosen article which allows the program mentors to help them with words they may stumble over, develop a better reading flow and ease of public speaking, and gauge their improvement over time.  To ensure that students are effective at understanding what they are reading, they are required to answer comprehension questions following each article that necessitate critical thinking, while allowing them to hone their analytical skills.  Learn more.

Measures of a Man

Measures of a Man is an in-school based program with a curriculum specifically designed for middle-school aged boys (11-15), enrolled in academically, behaviorally and economically challenged urban schools.  The tailored curriculum is led by program facilitators who are college students, recent graduates, and young professionals between the ages of 21-35.  Each week this program engages 45 male youth and is aimed at laying the foundation needed for the students to successfully matriculate through school and life. The purpose of this curriculum is: 1) to prevent youth from resorting to acts of violence, coercion and/or abuse in order to dominate and control others; 2) to intervene in the academic and social lives of students demonstrating destructive behavior and help them build skills for success; 3) to re-educate those youths who have already begun to exhibit the effects of abuse and violence within their own interpersonal relationships; 4) teach each young man critical life that will prove essential as they matriculate academically and professionally; and 5) to build skills around knowledge, ability, and self-agency (the ability to govern ones own actions and reactions). Learn more.

A Scholar and a Gentleman

A Scholar and a Gentleman is an in-school based program with a curriculum specifically designed for high school-aged males enrolled in academically, behaviorally and economically challenged urban schools. This program targets 60 males at each school with a keen focus on insuring that every student engaged in the program graduates from high school and is college and/or workforce ready.  The curriculum combines the scholastic, personal, and professional backgrounds and experiences of the organization directors, the program facilitators, and field experts to produce a tailored curriculum that will introduce the young men to the ideas and ideals needed to be successful in a collegiate and professional environment.  The program operates for one hour each week, and actively engages students in the curriculum topic discussions designed to encourage critical thinking and problem solving. Learn more.

All the King’s Men

All the King’s Men is an in-school based program that is positioned to encourage students to take a deeper look at their future work-life objectives by exposing them individuals who are successful in various career fields and industries. This program is aimed towards middle school- and high school-aged males and females, as we recognize that they are our future business and educational leaders. Our goal is to spark a desire in students to begin taking the necessary steps to become a successful professional in careers they may be interested in, as well as those they may have never thought of pursuing.  Short surveys are utilized to further encourage and evaluate students’ thoughts about their skills and interests as related to a specific career field.  We work with interested students to begin a career path including shadowing and/or mentoring opportunities. Learn more.

Building the Kingdom

ONE HOUR. All we need is one hour. One hour per week is all it takes to begin a journey of transformation, a journey that will significantly enhance the lives of hundreds of young people. Will you join us for one hour? The average detained male juvenile spends over 1650 hours incarcerated in a correctional facility. Imagine those hours spent in a classroom, a museum, at sporting events, and amongst people that genuinely care about his progression through life; what value could he then produce? Building the Kingdom is an innovative mentor training program designed to teach highly effective techniques and practices that equips qualified men with the tools needed to be successful at implementing our curricula. This training combines theoretical approaches and more importantly, empirical experiences in effective mentoring to ensure that each participant is knowledgeable of the best ways to empower male youth to be catalysts for change. Learn more.

Recess

Recess is an after-school tutoring program specifically created for the young men involved with the Measures of a Man program.  Tutoring is offered four days each week for 90 minutes per day, and facilitated by local high school seniors and college students.  Students are also provided a healthy snack at the beginning of each program day, which encourages developing appropriate eating habits.  Through involvement in this program, the young men are equipped with additional academic guidance that will enable them to improve their scholastic performance.  According to the Wallace Foundation, out-of-school time programs are increasingly part of an expanded learning approach to education, given the vital role that they can play in getting and keeping youth on trajectories of positive learning and development. Learn more.

Jack of All Trades

Jack of All Trades is a 10-week summer enrichment program specifically created for high school aged male students.  The program is designed to enhance their knowledge of and participation in the areas of entrepreneurship; health & wellness; math, science & technology; athletics; craftsmanship; and art & photography.  Jack of All Trades partners with local organizations and corporations to execute various aspects of the curriculum.  The partnerships are key to the programs success as they not only provide students with exposure to professionals in the specialized areas of expertise, but also an opportunity to get hands on, real world experience working with some of the top companies in the city.  Through Jack of All Trades, students are equipped with tools and resources that are more inline with their future professional interests. Learn more.