This editorial was written by The Brunswick News on May 16.
The Fourteen Black Men of Glynn noticed something more than two decades ago. Many young minority boys were falling behind their peers in school.
The organization decided to do something about it and in 1992, they created the Boys of Summer program at what was then Brunswick Junior College.
Today, that program is still thriving, now at the four-year College of Coastal Georgia.
“The Boys of Summer program has been a foundational program in our community for years and has changed the trajectory of many students’ educational futures,” said Jason Umfress, vice president for student affairs and enrollment at CCGA.
The Fourteen Black Men of Glynn and CCGA are making a very important addition to the program this year — Girls of Summer.
It is an opportunity to keep minority girls in Glynn and McIntosh counties on track for the ultimate goal of graduation.
Even better than that, the program, as it has for boys, provides self-esteem and cultural awareness and lessons in developing positive social relationships. Those lessons stand to have a real impact in our modern world of social media and cyberbullying.
The program will also expose both the girls and the boys in it to life on a college campus.
If that experience is enough to prompt one child to decide to further their education after high school, then the program has been a success.
Students will also learn about their community through field trips and special workshops.
There will be plenty of academic support work happening with real college instructors as well, but make no mistake, this is not just your normal session of summer school. The Boys and Girls of Summer programs are assets to this community because they show youth who may not otherwise get the chance all about college and adult life.
We encourage parents to check out this program and to sign their children up. The boys program begins in June and the girls program in July.
If your interested, call Marcyline Bailey at 324-2548 for the girls program and Floyd Phoenix for the boys at 217-0457.