Boyz 2 Men wear their ties with pride

By Christopher Tobutt

56 boys gathered in John Gray High School on Wednesday 21 September for a very special occasion. They were going to be inducted into Boyz 2 Men KY, the mentorship program which helps boys on the right path to become young gentlemen. It was started by High School Counsellor Christopher Murray 12 years ago with just three boys, and has since grown year by year. It was the day they were to receive the programme’s signature black tie, a symbol of self-esteem and respect for others that the boyz2men wear with pride.

John Gray High School principal Jon Clark said it was a proud moment for him, and all the boys waiting for their signature black ties. Asking the boys to rise, he noticed that some of them were quick to get up, but others weren’t so sure they wanted to be noticed. “From now on there won’t be anywhere to hide,” he said, as he told them that they would help one another become the very best version of themselves they could be. Symbol Principal John Clarke told the boys to, “Hold fast to that which is good,” quoting from the bible passage. “The boys to men programme is a very very good, but at the same time, is only as good as we make it,” he said.

In attendance was Minister of Financial Services and Commerce, The Honourable André Ebanks, MP, who gave the boys some tips about success: “What helped me was to not let the people down who had invested in me, like my mother and my grandmother. I just didn’t want to let them down,” he said.  He said that his father wanted a different career for him than the one he wanted for himself, and that it was O.K to disagree/ those people who invested in you would still support you provided they could see that the path you had chosen was a righteous and productive one, he said. “Even now I don’t want to let the citizens down. When you keep it in mind of who is invested in you, you don’t went let them down,”

He asked all the boys in the group to rise, and follow him in a war-cry of success. “Lets go, boyz 2 men, lets go!”

An officer from the RCIPS led everyone in a rendition of “Lean on Me,” by Bill Withers

Programme Director, and an ex-member of the very first cohort twelve years ago, Seaford Russell thanked all the people who have supported the programme in person and by supplying money. Obviously I have so many people to thank; Ernst & Young and Andre Ebanks,” he said, “And David Wight has contributed to the induction ceremony for the last 5 years by providing the black neck ties.” Mr. Russell thanked all the teachers who helped support the young men on the programme: “Continue to help us with these young men they may be difficult at times our goal is to never give up on these young men,” he said.