Project Alpha big step in making men of boys
Award-winning retreat allows fraternity brothers to impact young teens
By Carlton Fletcher
ALBANY — Sonny Manuel wasn’t too worried about catching possible grief, so he relented and gave his mom, Gayle Jenkins, a big hug before Jenkins left the 14-year-old in the charge of the brothers of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity as they prepared for their annual teenage pregnancy prevention retreat.
Of course, Manuel arrived early, and there were no other teens around when he bid his mom farewell. As other campers started drifting in, singly, in pairs and in small groups, Manuel — and many others among the 12-, 13- and 14-year-olds — sat quietly, apparently contemplating the weekend that lay ahead.
“Yeah, I guess I’m a little nervous right now,” the Lee County Middle School East student said. “But I’m here to learn — about teen pregnancy, about leadership skills — from these great men. I’m always open to learning new things.”
Thirteen-year-old Radium Springs Middle School student Elija Williams said he looked forward to the weekend as he received a welcome from Alpha Correspondence Secretary Brent Kegler.
“I’m happy to be here,” Elija said. “This is an adventure, and I’m an explorer.”
The teens were part of a group of around 30 that spent the weekend at Kolomoki Mounds State Park in Blakely, taking steps toward manhood at the annual Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Project Alpha teen pregnancy prevention retreat. The retreat, organizers say, is an effort to educate the impressionable youngsters about issues that await just over their developing horizons.
“There are always changes, but the story remains the same,” Project Alpha coordinator Dr. William R. Berry said as the campers trickled in. “There’s really nothing new about all this, but we as presenters have to reinvent the retreat every year, look at it from different angles. You have to adapt to the kids, make it more upbeat, more hip-hop for this generation.”
In that respect, veteran Alphas like Berry, T. Marshall Jones, John Culbreath, Prince Reid, Clift Felton, Charles Thomas, Willie Powers, Bennie Walker and Dougherty District Attorney Greg Edwards rely on younger fraternity brothers currently attending Albany State University or members of the business community to reach the teens on their terms.
“I’m at an age now that I can actually relate to both generations, to the leaders of the project and to the kids,” Kegler said. “I’ve always been community-oriented, and when I met some of the Alpha brothers involved, I saw this as a good way to give back. It wasn’t that long ago that I was these guys’ age. I know what they’re going through.”
As Radium Middle School improvement coordinator Zeporia Gilmore-Bass, who helps recruit students for the Project Alpha retreat, points out, the retreat is a giant step toward manhood for the young participants.
“I see the impact this has on the boys at Radium Middle,” Gilmore-Bass said. “I see where the Alphas start the process of creating men from boys. They teach them that doing good for others is the rent you pay to occupy this space we’re given.
“People say to me that these children are our future, but I beg to differ. I believe these students are our right now.”
While at the Project Alpha retreat, the teens learned about crime prevention and gang-related topics from Albany Police Chief Michael Persley, received information about pregnancy prevention from Marcus Girard, got some hard, sobering facts about AIDS and STDs from Dr. Devell Young, and got the lowdown on the legal implications of pregnancy from Edwards.
Robotics, physical activities and a tour of the state park were also part of the busy weekend agenda.
The Alphas stay in touch with many of the students who participate in the award-winning Project Alpha through the Go to High School, Go to College program and beyond.
“Alpha Phi Alpha was the first black fraternity in the United States, and what we do is part of the fraternity’s philosophy: ‘First of all, servants of all, we shall transcend all,’” Jones, a 50-year educator, said. “The philosophy of the fraternity parallels how I grew up, learning to be of service, to help those less fortunate.
“Project Alpha is a big step in these young boys’ lives. For so many of them, it’s a really big step toward manhood.”
An awards banquet for Project Alpha participants is scheduled May 1 at 6 p.m. at the Mt. Zion Baptist Church multipurpose room. The church is located at 901 S. Westover Blvd. in Albany.
Author
Related Articles
Dougherty Jail graduates first class of female GED recipients
“It was an escape. I can say this has been challenging. I want to express my gratitude for being able to attend this program.”
From cotton to cloud: In the data center debate, is rural Georgia once again being asked to carry the cost?
Across much of rural Georgia, the abandoned cotton warehouses and shrinking tax bases remain — enduring reminders that industries built to serve distant markets do not necessarily stay rooted in the communities that first sustained them.
Dawson Council approves $400,000 lifeline in emergency meeting as financial accountability remains elusive
Less than a week after city officials publicly acknowledged the City of Dawson cannot continue operating without additional financing, the Dawson City Council convened a hastily called emergency meeting Tuesday evening and unanimously approved authority to borrow up to $400,000 through a tax anticipation note.
