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100
Black Men mentor youths at school
Inspire students at
North Springs Charter H.S. 
February 18, 2011
NORTH FULTON – Twenty-six members of 100 Black
Men of North Metro spent Tuesday, Feb. 1, in
classrooms at North Springs Charter High School,
inspiring and encouraging students and
officially kicking off Black History Month at
NSCHS.
"100 Black Men began because professional
black men wanted to provide service as mentors
and educators; especially because very few men
are visible in education," said John Caine,
a Sandy Springs resident, active mentor and
education supporter whose two children are NSCHS
graduates.
For Caine, an electrical engineer with an MBA in
marketing and finance, "being in the
classroom is what I love. I'm really a closet
teacher. I tell students to recognize their
dreams, work towards them and never let anyone
take their dream away. Their dream must be their
own, not their parents, not their coaches."
Caine's passion for mentoring was echoed by
Brian Hooper, another member who graduated from
North Springs in 1995. He is studying for his
upcoming bar exam.
"I've learned there are two kinds of people
- those who say our youth need us and that's it,
and others who say let me do something about
it," Hooper said.
Hooper also mentors regularly at North Springs.
"I want to expose students to all their
possibilities; there are so many," he said.
"When I was in high school, I didn't fully
realize that."
Dwight Kelly, the chapter's president and a
retired pharmaceutical executive, told students
in his session that "it's important to stay
in school, work hard and find your passion. If
you love what you're doing, it's never a
job."
To senior Justin Fisher, who will be attending
Boston's Berklee School of Music, this was music
to his ears.
"Mr. Kelly had a lot of good information
about career choices for the future, and I know
what he means about finding your passion,"
Fisher said.
Tracey Enright, NSCHS math department
chairwoman, was appreciative her students had
the opportunity to hear from the 100 Black Men
members. In her classroom, Kelly and Caine also
gave real-world examples of how math is needed
in careers today.
"All my students benefited," Enright
said.
100 Black Men was founded in New York City in
1963. Today, the 100 Black Men of America, Inc.
has 116 chapters and more than 10,000 members
who positively impact the lives of more than
100,000 youth annually. The Sandy Springs
Education Force is a partner with 100 Black Men
of North Metro. |
