The Town of North Hempstead received approval last week from the White House to implement mentoring programs as part of the federal “My Brother’s Keeper” initiative, which officials said would help at-risk youth prepare to enter college and the workforce.
During a sit-down interview with Blank Slate Media Thursday, North Hempstead Town Supervisor Judi Bosworth said the town would partner with the Manhasset and Westbury school districts on a pilot program beginning this fall.
“The idea is to address the needs of the community on a small scale and then hopefully we’ll be able to expand it,” Bosworth said.
Though the scope of North Hempstead’s program is still in its infancy stages, Bosworth said the town was among the few municipalities in New York to apply to join the initiative.
She said about 10 ninth grade students would be selected from each school district for the program, which would involve mentoring and potential internship opportunities with the town to expose them to a variety of possible career opportunities.
“We’ve been kind of nursing it along and it’s just developing into something we think is doable,” Bosworth said. “It’s small enough so we’ll be able to really have an imprint on this and make a difference.”
The “My Brother’s Keeper” initiative was introduced in February 2014 as a means of improving graduation rates and “expected life outcomes for boys and young men of color,” President Barack Obama wrote in a memorandum.
“By focusing on the critical challenges, risk factors and opportunities for boys and young men of color at key life stages, we can improve their long-term outcomes and ability to contribute to the nation’s competitiveness, economic mobility and growth and civil society,” Obama wrote. “Unlocking their full potential will benefit not only them, but all Americans.”
Last September, the town was among the approximately 100 municipalities in the United States to be named “early acceptors” of the initiative and hosted a summit of community leaders to discuss efforts to implement “My Brother’s Keeper” in North Hempstead.
