Warren Township launches My Brother’s Keeper cohort; leaders report early gains and plan expansion

Warren Township High School District 121 administrators and outside partners on May 13 presented a first-year report on a My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) student-champion program that served roughly 30 male students and emphasized mentorship, leadership and post‑secondary preparation.

District and program leaders said the MBK cohort met about once a month from October through March, worked with national MBK affiliates and ended the year by attending a countywide MBK symposium in downtown Chicago where local students connected with employers and postsecondary partners.

The program, leaders said, was built around four monthly session themes — community building, leadership foundations, storytelling and nonviolence — with an emphasis on vulnerability, peer accountability and preparing students for post‑high school opportunities.

"MBK became that third place where they could just be and express and become and develop and listen to each other," said Trey, MBK mentor and spoken-word artist working with the district. "A lot of our young men are experiencing real challenges at home... MBK is that safe space." Trey led monthly sessions and the district said he will continue with the program next year.

Rob Parra, principal at the Almond Campus, said the district identified students for the cohort by recommendation and staff outreach and sought a mix of grade levels so older students could mentor younger ones. "We ended up with about 30 scholars this year," Parra said. "We thought this was a great opportunity to partner our older students with our younger students and develop some internal mentoring."

Program staff described three measurable priorities they tracked: on‑time graduation, graduation with a postsecondary plan and safety from violent crime. Leaders said county partners — including MBK Lake County, the College of Lake County and employers that hosted symposium sessions — supported students' exposure to potential career pathways.

Program leaders described selection and participation rules established during the pilot: students were recommended by staff, met monthly, had a parent or guardian sign a participation form and were expected to commit to the program. Leaders said they will add clearer academic eligibility next year so students can balance leadership training with academic responsibilities. "They cannot be failing a class to join MBK; if they don't meet that, we provide one‑on‑one engagement to support them," Trey said.

Board members asked about cohort size and expansion. Staff said 30 felt like a sustainable cohort with current staffing and that expansion could occur by starting younger (for example, middle schools) or by adding additional cohorts if more facilitators are available. Michelle (staff member introducing the program) said the MBK mentor "has been amazing" and described the mentor's national MBK connections as central to the program's countywide symposium participation.

Leaders also flagged operational concerns for next year: increasing parent engagement so caregivers see the program's conversations and outcomes; clarifying academic criteria for participation; and tracking safety incidents across the county that affected some MBK participants. Two student leaders from the cohort received county leadership awards at the symposium, the district said.

District and MBK leaders said they will continue the partnership, refine the selection and academic requirements, and pursue more parent engagement and staff capacity to grow the program without diminishing its standards.

School leaders said they plan to present a more formal plan for the 2025–26 school year and continue coordination with county MBK partners and local employers.