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📆 10/4/2023 8:57 PM

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📆 10/4/2023 8:57 PM
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Dads on campus at Blount HS: Men in the community acting as mentors to studentsDads on campus at Blount HS: Men in the community acting as mentors to students As Blount High School Students went from class to class this morning, they were greeted by the men of the Nazaree Full Gospel Church.

"It's not a scare tactic. It's to let our kids know that you have support outside of the school. You have people in the community who are invested in you who want to see you succeed," says Pastor Wesley Davis. In a new program with the Blount High School PTSA called “Dad's On Campus”, men in the community act as mentors in the classroom. "Walking the hallways, greeting the students asking them just how they're doing to be a positive presence in their lives," says Davis. Even going into classrooms and praying over the students. Pastor Davis says the men are setting the record straight and tearing down harmful racial stereotypes. "Often so many times, especially sometimes in media, the portrayal of the African American male is not in the best light, and we also have to let them understand that there are people that look like you who are successful, who are doing this every day and also that want you to understand that you can obtain this as well." "When I see everybody in the hallway, it kind of gave like they was here to do something good, you know the vibes it felt positive and genuine," says 11th grader Bayleigh Robinson."It just feels like it's something different to see because there's the type of stereotype that black dad's wouldn't do something like this and it's good to see that they're contradicting it," says 11th grader Janea’ Scott. "A lot of us, we can say ourselves that we didn't grow up with a dad and to see these men here actually be positive and not negative towards us actually makes a big impact," says 11th grader Damaurion Cole. Pastor Davis says he hopes people see this as a call to action so more people in the community can help keep the youth on the right path. "Youth violence, violence is not the way. Nothing ever happens or is achieved through violence. We want our young men and our young women to understand that hey, here's another option. If you need someone to talk to let’s use our words, let’s come to a resolve. Let's be able to do conflict resolution so that we won't have this revolving door of young people being killed in the streets and burying more young people and seeing them at funerals. That's the most heartbreaking thing and it doesn't have to be."

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