Portsmouth mentorship program gives teens a new look at character

PORTSMOUTH

Fernando King ran with a gang and hung out with drug dealers. Then, last school year, he walked through the doors of Boyz II Men, a mentoring program at I.C. Norcom High School.

The 15-year-old discovered a different world.

Fernando has collected toys for patients at Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters, explored Norfolk State University and, along with about 30 other young men from troubled backgrounds, has shared his experiences, hopes and dreams.

"Growing up, I was taught never to really talk about my feelings," Fernando says. Last fall, he got out of the gang. His grades have improved. Now, he's working toward college.

Some of his old friends haven't been so lucky. "Three of them are dead and the other two are locked up," he says.

Boyz II Men began last school year in response to what Danny C. Smith, a Norcom assistant principal, calls a "pseudo" gang problem at the school.

"It's not the Crips and Bloods, L.A. Southside," says Smith, who created the program. "It's more about popularity and vogue."

The aim of Boyz II Men, he says, is to help reduce fights, graffiti and verbal wars at the school, and the message seems to be getting through. Only one young man in the group has been in a fight at Norcom this school year, and none shows signs of gang membership.

Headed up by Quentin Jones, a Norcom staffer and a former pitcher in the Atlanta Braves organization, the program offers a support network.

Teachers, administrators, clergy, business people and other community leaders have been assigned as mentors and regularly meet with their charges. Sometimes, they help with homework and pitch in money for a meal after school or for tickets to sports games.

On outings, group members wear black and white T-shirts heralding the group's name. U nlike the colors gangs wear, their shirts show unity in a positive way, says Jones, an in-school-suspension coordinator and behavior management specialist.

"I believe that to change children's lives you have to think outside the box, expose them to environments they've never been exposed to before," Jones says. "It's not all about gangs, violence, drugs and things like that."

In group meetings, they chat about such things as girls, school, home life, homework and classroom problems.

Other issues the young men have struggled with include working through family problems, getting tangled up in the court system and spending time in the Tidewater Detention Home.

Outside of formal meetings, each member is expected to greet one another when passing in the school hallway.

"We're teaching them how to shake hands appropriately" and not to give a "hip-hop" handshake - a way to teach respect and how to behave in professional settings, Jones says.

Deshawn Williams, 18, says he's benefited from the lessons.

"It just changed my life around and keeps me focused," Deshawn says. "To be polite, to be nice to teachers and to shake hands."

The program is financed through fundraisers, donations and Jones' own pocket. He spent $250 for the group's T-shirts.

Jones credits his Christian faith as a reason for wanting to try to help the young men. Joining Norcom's staff last summer, he quickly impressed Smith, who thought that Jones' professional sports background could inspire respect in hard-to-reach kids.

In his classroom, Jones, who is also an assistant baseball coach at Norfolk State University, displays an autographed picture of himself dressed in a baseball uniform. He says a lot of students who land in in-school suspension ask about the photo and "that's my opportunity to tell them about Boyz II Men."

On a visit to Norfolk State last fall, 10 young men toured the campus, met students and staff and saw a football game.

It convinced most to pursue college.

Anthony Cradle, a 17-year-old sophomore, was one. "I wasn't thinking about going to college until we went there," he says. Since joining the program this school year, Anthony says he has gone from an F to a "B-C-A student."

For Fernando, now the Boyz II Men president, a trip to CHKD in December still resonates. He and several other members passed out toys to ailing children, putting smiles on faces.

"For a lot of us, we say we have it real hard," Fernando says. But "then to go into the hospital and see kids with cancer... You're thinking they may not live, but we still have a chance."

Cheryl Ross, (757) 446-2443, cheryl.ross@pilotonline.com