The Boys & Girls Clubs of Monmouth County’s (BGCM) Passport to Manhood program is a 14 week program that focuses on teaching male members ages 8 to 14, the life skills necessary to be successful. Focusing on responsibility, respect, academics, and community service, the Passport to Manhood program promotes overall character development and improved self- esteem. At the end of the program, the participants are rewarded with a graduation ceremony that is representative of their transition into manhood and showcases their dedication to change.
In discussion groups that meet every Thursday and Friday, the members share their personal stories and progressively learn the actions and attitudes that lead to personal achievement and advancement. Michael Drake, Asbury Park Unit Athletic Director and leader of the Passport to Manhood program, says that getting the boys to open up and share their personal experiences is the most rewarding part of the job. Drake says, “Listening to the kid’s stories and hearing what they’ve been through lets me know I’m on the right track with what I’m doing in the program.”
The members also participate in community service projects that highlight the importance of giving back to the community. Last year during National Boys & Girls Club week, Passport to Manhood members at BGCM’s Asbury Park Unit helped paint the unit’s second floor.
At the end of the 14 week program, the participants graduate and receive a certificate that represents their personal growth, accomplishments, and overall life skills developed in the program. At graduation time, Passport to Manhood members have improved academically, participated in community service projects, and lived up to the standards of the Passport to Manhood pledge that stresses respectful, positive behavior. Drake says by graduation, the boys are young men who, “have a sense of belonging and know what they need to do to be successful.” The Passport to Manhood program is an active program at both the Asbury Park and Red Bank units.
For more information about the Passport to Manhood program, call the BGCM main office at 732-775-7862.
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