Bryon Harris and Adrian Harries of School District 65 and Officer Adam Howard of the Evanston Police Department kicked off the Officer and Gentlemen Academy on March 4 at Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center. The three will act as facilitators of this 12-Week program for young black males from Nichols Middle School, which aims to bridge the gap between confidence and success.
The Officer and Gentlemen Academy program includes education and mentoring and will focus on delivering a personalized curriculum that centers around concepts of male etiquette, professional attire, development and maintenance of peer relationships, goal setting, improvement of communication with law enforcement, knowledge of the law, and financial literacy. Students will receive homework assistance and support from Nichols School staff and also engage in group activities to reinforce the concepts taught.
The Officer and a Gentleman Program is an amazing example of what leaders in our community can make happen in collaboration with our schools. The Evanston Police Department and D65 share a vision for doing all they can to unleash and nurture the leadership potential of our young boys as they grow and learn. Just as important, there is so much to learn from the boys on what they need and how we can better support them in our schools. It’s wonderful to see ideas laid out in the strategic plan in action by this community in such generous and creative ways.