The “role model effect” is the proven impact that teachers have on students with whom they share an identity.
There are over 3.5 million Black boys in U.S. schools, each of which can benefit from having at least one teach who looks like him.
During the I AM KING mentorship, small groups of middle school boys of color participate in our semester-long program where they receive mentorship from Black male college students. They engage with the social-emotional learning curriculum that develops their racial-identity and builds their emotional vocabulary.
DOES THIS
SOUND LIKE YOU?
• My child is in the 5th-8th grades.
• My child is a boy of color who could benefit from a Black male role model.
• I want my child to develop skills to navigate their personal and academic lives.
• I believe that we need more Black men in our schools.
• My child can participate in weekly mentoring sessions for a full semester.
• I want my child to learn how to interact with others before entering high school.
If you identify with any of these statements, your child will benefit from the I AM KING Mentoring Program.
enroll studentsWhat is the I AM KING
Mentoring Program?
Middle school boys in the I AM KING mentoring program participate in weekly activities facilitated by Black male college students. The curriculum gradually builds the boys’ social-emotional learning skills, and develops their identity and literacy to be able to respond to and navigate their individual and collective realities.
There are multiple benefits for your child joining the I AM KING program.
Mentees meet in their small groups once per week for 12 weeks with two Black male mentors. I AM KING runs for 12 weeks in the fall and 12 weeks in the spring.
Mentoring sessions are held virtually. Mentees enrolled in the program will be given the login information upon joining the program. The program will continue to be virtual until it is safe to interact in person.
It’s simple! Sign up here to add your child to the waiting list. We’ll reach back out to you about the registration details and next steps for enrollment.
No. While our social-emotional learning curriculum is designed through the lens of a Black male, other boys, particularly boys of color, may benefit from the program as well.
Social-emotional learning, specifically for males of color, is the process of engaging in self-discovery, their interactions with others, and their individual and collective responsibility in education.
When Black boys and boys of color are exposed to social-emotional learning, they tend to perform better in school and have improved long-term life outcomes.
Studies show that when Black boys and other boys of color have a deeper understanding of their own identity and can communicate it, they are better able to navigate difficult situations, especially those related to identity (e.g. being stereotyped). As a part of this process, they must have the language to express their emotions to communicate their feelings about specific events and situations.
Our curriculum incorporates current events and real situations that the mentees experience. Part of their mentoring sessions are used for them to apply coping skills, reflect on experiences, and plan to make decisions in their personal lives. They are also encouraged to apply what they learned in their daily lives and share with the group what they did and what the results were.
Because of generous donations, there is no cost to enroll your child in the I AM KING program nor for the materials needed to participate in the program.
Possibly. We have an option for schools, districts, and community-based organizations to host their own He is Me site. Let someone from the institution know to contact us for more details at hello@heisme.org!
"I had such an amazing and fulfilling experience!"
"It’s such a great program and I can’t wait to be a part of it again."
"This would be a great opportunity to get He Is Me into schools as part of an after school program."
"After seeing the impact it has left on my two young gentleman as well as my younger cousin who also participated in He Is Me I would not hesitate to recommend as many young man as possible and to gain this experience!"
Provide a boy of color with a complete activity box to participate in our virtual I AM KING mentoring program when you buy a King Me Box!
purchase a box