LORAIN, Ohio — The challenges young people face today can be overwhelming. A local organization is teaching the next generation to be positive and productive, and in turn, making Northeast Ohio A Better Land.
Good Morning Cleveland anchor Tiffany Tarpley visited Palm Elementary School in Lorain, where students are taking part in a mentorship program called Men of Courage. It was founded by Lorain native Anthony Jones.
"We originally started out as a men's development group, helping men become better fathers, better husbands, and then that morphed into the mentoring piece," said Jones.
Jones is one of several volunteers helping improve the lives of young people by offering them guidance, support and resources for success.
"We're teaching them to have a positive mindset, we're teaching them about anger management, how to deal with peer pressure, how to goal set," said Jones. "Just to think about their choices and the consequences of their choices and then how those decisions affect others."
Students like Luis Negron Suarez and Sedrick Wilson are learning the skills they need to be successful.
"It's taught me to be nicer to be more respectful," said Negron Suarez.
"I learned to be a leader and have better sportsmanship in football games, I've been a better student," said Wilson.
Jones said, "You can see some of these boys where their anger issues have subsided. They become more articulate, they start thinking about the studies a little bit more and it's just really, it's really neat to see the growth."
Men of Courage also mentors students in Brooklyn and Vermilion, as well as incarcerated juveniles in Cuyahoga and Lorain counties. The organization is looking for volunteers. Visit here for more information.
