Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Mentoring Programs topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Ebony Vision presents Men of Vision mentoring program to school board, citing early intervention for Black boys
Summary
Ebony Vision representatives described a mentoring program that started in 2014 to address disproportional discipline outcomes for African American boys; the group said the program serves boys from multiple district schools and works with community mentors including law enforcement and professionals.
Ebony Vision representatives addressed the board to describe Men of Vision, a mentoring program started in 2014 aimed at supporting young Black boys and other students across district schools.
Antonio Godfrey, identified himself as vice president of Ebony Vision and director of Men of Vision, told the board the program grew after community review of suspension and arrest data for African American boys. Godfrey said the mentoring group operates across multiple district buildings, including Fond du Lac High School, Woodworth Middle School, Evans Elementary, Chegwin and Riverside, and includes roughly 10 boys in the cohort he introduced during public comment.
Godfrey said the program is inclusive but focuses attention on Black and brown students because data showed disproportionate discipline outcomes. He described a mentor roster that includes a Fond du Lac police officer, a psychiatrist at the Department of Corrections, a former NFL player, and other community professionals. Godfrey said the mentors teach life skills, educational support and recreational activities, and that Ebony Vision partners with the YMCA (which hosts the program) and other local groups.
Board members thanked the group and listeners in the audience. The remarks were part of the public comment period and did not trigger board action.
