Rites of Passage – Men Serving Our Youth
By Don C. Locke
Rites of Passage Institute
The journey of life is a series of passages that must be bridged to fulfill our purposes for being. Our mission is to institutionalize a process that will result in the development, support, and regeneration of a healthy and authentic community.
On Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, twelve adolescent African-American males participate in a Rites of Passage Program at Hall Fletcher School.
A
small group of African-American men were trained in 2000 as “Elders” in
a Rites of Passage Training Program, sponsored by the national Rites of
Passage staff. Dr. Charles Blair was the coordinator of the
Asheville-based program.
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| Elders Bill Mance, and Freddie Dance working with Rites of Passage students at Hall Fletcher Elementary School. Photo by Don C. Locke |
Preparation
begins the delineation of the childhood identity and a new awareness of
personal and ethnic characteristics. This delineation occurs through an
initial passage ceremony, and information session. The participants are
educated concerning their role of childhood and how it plays into their
development over the lifespan. The activities involved in the
preparation stage contribute to the participants’ ethnic awareness,
self-esteem, positive views toward the African-American group, and
awareness of social and gender roles.
Hall Fletcher
Elementary School was selected as the site for the Rites of Passage
Program since it had a large number of African-American males who did
not have a significant adult role model in their lives. Mrs. Carol Ray,
then principal of Hall Fletcher, invited the parents and guardians of a
group of young African-American male youth to meet with the Elders, and
solicited their approval for these children to participate in the
program. The parents were enthusiastic about the program and willingly
granted approval. The school counselor was identified as the on-site
coordinator for the program.
On each day at
least three Elders work with these twelve youth. Classes begin with a
circle activity where the youth begin the day with a focus on becoming
‘centered’ around their humanity, their ethnicity, and their spiritual
nature. This activity is followed by a tutoring session where each
participant is helped with his homework for the day. If time permits a
physical activity is included.
In previous
years the boys have been taken to baseball games and basketball games.
On one occasion, the group spent a weekend at Paris Island, where they
learned about the rigors of military training. While another group did
community services, by serving meals to parents and Elders.
Sam Listenbee
stated, “As principal of Hall Fletcher Elementary School I have been
impressed with the dedication and commitment shown by the Elders in
involvement with the students in the Rites of Passage Program. This
organization of men represents a cross section of our community, and
bring a lifetime of experience to the students they serve at Hall
Fletcher.”
Don C. Locke is an Elder in the Asheville Rites of Passage Program.
