In a time when African American young men need an extra push to meet their educational goals and a vote of confidence in their capabilities to succeed beyond high school, the Henry Arthur Callis Education Foundation has been a strong advocate in helping teen males excel in life through its Youth to Men mentoring program.
Initially launched in 1989 as the Young Organizers United To Help program at Marietta High School, Youth to Men began as an intervention and mentoring program for male students attending the school. For more than 30 years, the Callis Education Foundation has sponsored the
program in partnership with the Cobb County chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Youth to Men primarily serves males in grades 9-12 in Cobb and North Fulton counties. The primary objective of the Foundation is to provide scholarships to African American males and has since expanded to include other well-needed services.
“The Youth to Men initiative has been an excellent platform for high school males to engage in activities designed to propel them to greatness,” said Steven Boyd, board chairman of the Callis Education Foundation. “Through this program, we ensure participants engage with mentors and
volunteers who share their varied professional and personal experiences to help students develop their academic, social and community skills for life-long success.”
“We are honored to elevate our young, talented, developing men at this stage in their life’s journey,” said Carson Funderburk, co-chair of Youth to Men. “We are clear that it is our responsibility to inspire students to maximize their God-given talent and level up their potential, help them focus on their priorities and prepare them for real-world experiences.
Workshops and training sessions include critical thinking, career planning, financial literacy, leadership development, cyberbullying and peer pressure, paid internships, public speaking, mental health, sexual awareness, SAT/ACT test preparation, High School-To College-To Corporate, and the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Experience. The program also offers paid internships through Cobb Works, Inc. and is launching a STEM Immersion Summer Institute in partnership with Kennesaw State University’s College of Computing and Software
Engineering.
The foundation has served hundreds of students over the years and awarded more than $145,000 in scholarships. Recipients have attended higher education institutions such as Florida State University, Georgia State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Hampton University,
Johnson C. Smith University, Kennesaw State University, Mississippi State University, Morehouse College, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Vanderbilt University, the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the University of Georgia, and others.
Sponsors of Youth to Men include Cobb EMC Foundation, CobbWorks, Inc., Lowe’s, Nucor Corporation, Publix Super Markets Charities, SelectCobb, Shaw Industries Group, and The Clorox Company.
About Henry Arthur Callis Education Foundation The Henry Arthur Callis Education Foundation was established in 1986 to support educational initiatives focused on youth in the Cobb County and North Fulton areas. Over the years, our programs have served and rewarded young men who exhibit scholastic excellence and good character and who demonstrate community service. The 501(c)(3) Foundation remains
committed to enhancing educational opportunities, providing mentoring activities, awarding scholarships and establishing corporate and community partnerships dedicated to finding solutions to the educational and employment barriers affecting young men in our community.
