PANAMA CITY — One group of young men knows something about consequences — mainly, that the good can outweigh the bad.
A number of adolescents are taking advantage of opportunities through Save Our Sons (SOS), a nationwide organization established in Bay County in 2011, as it reaches out to minority males through an incentive-based mentorship program.
The group serves ages 10 to 18 and calls for participants to commit to various activities in order to reap rewards that range from trips to job offers. SOS meets the first and third Mondays of each month at 6 p.m. at St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church, 1500 Fountain Ave.
In order to stay in good standing with the organization, members are required to have good attendance at biweekly meetings, do community service and attend County Commission meetings.
“The change I’ve seen in the boys has been simply this: they went from an ‘I’ mentality to ‘we,’ “ said director Ronnie Adams.
“The men are understanding that if (they) don’t do it no matter how much (they’re) encouraged, nothing will ever happen,” he said. “And that’s the most amazing thing to me.”
At Monday’s meeting, Al McCambry, director at Gulf Coast State College’s Corporate College, was a guest speaker. His department has pledged to maintain a close relationship with SOS with plans to work on community projects in the future.
“The SOS program targets minority males and provides positive role models and creative learning scenarios that take real life issues and converts them to educational experiences,” McCambry said. “It is that real-life experience tied to education that gets kids’ attention; and once you have their attention, you are on your way to decreasing statistics often tied to minority males.”
In return for their dedication, the boys are rewarded from the organization with trips, money, support at sports games and other perks.
However, some participants say there’s something else about SOS that drives them to continue to participate.
“I am around friends and family,” said Rutherford High student Zycchaeous Funchess, 15. “I can express what I need to say to them” in confidentiality.
“It keeps me focused and on the right track,” said group president Tariq Morgan, 15.
And 14-year-old group secretary Dontrell Hart, a football and basketball player at Jinks Middle School, said it’s all about understanding that “everything you do has consequences.”
