Raleigh, NC -- U.S. Marines spent a day teaching leadership to young people at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina, Oct. 18.
The event was hosted by 100 Black Men of America, Inc., and the Marines came from nearby Marine Corps Recruiting Station Raleigh. 100 Black Men of America, Inc.’s mission is to improve the quality of life and enhance the educational and economic opportunities for African Americans, particularly young people, through mentorship.
“We’re pleased to have the Marines here today,” said Tony Jeffers, the president of the 100 Black Men of America Triangle East Chapter. “We have a long relationship with the Marines because they realize that the young people we develop today will be our future leaders.”
Nearly 100 local high school and college students attended the event, looking to learn about college preparation and Marine Corps leadership. The students were broken into six groups, led by local Marine representatives, in order to discuss a Marine Corps leadership trait and principal. This was followed by a large group discussion with all attendees.
“What I learned was to know your capabilities and don’t be afraid to stand out,” said Jabari Sullivan, a Cary High School freshman and Cary, North Carolina, native. “I learned that you need to know what you can do in life and to pursue it.”
100 Black Men of America, Inc., strives to be a beacon of leadership to their local communities through their youth mentoring programs, education opportunities, health and wellness programs, and economic empowerment programs.
The Marine Corps, similarly, looks to create young leaders and to return those leaders to their communities as productive members of society.
“I love the way the Marines talk about leadership,” said Al Sullivan, the co-mentoring chair for the Triangle East Chapter. “It’s all about how you lead yourself and how you lead your community. I thought that was perfect.”
100 Black Men of America, Inc., currently has over 10,000 members who mentor more than 100,000 youth participants, ranging from elementary school to college, annually.
“I thought it was pretty cool,” said Jabari. “The Marines taught me a bunch of cool values that I can use throughout my life.”