By Katie Aguilar SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – A program in Central New York that helps young men succeed in their personal and academic lives keeps growing every year. The Building Men Program in Syracuse, founded in 2006, has character-building activities for young men all year long.
Joe Horan, director and founder of the program, said it has grown from about 35 kids to now 250 kids. Horan specified the program began at one middle school to now eight middle schools and five high schools.
“In the middle school level, it gets them to look a little bit towards the future,” said Horan. “Middle school kids are kind of interested in a little bit of everything and not necessarily school … We try to get them to take a look at what they’re going to do with their future not necessarily what’s happening today in their lives and on social media.”
The Building Men Program is available as an after school program during the school year and continues over the summer. Horan said one of his favorite parts of the program is the summer institute.
“We get the boys for 20 days and we really get to see academic growth, growth in character and we get to see growth in their relationships with their friends,” said Horan. “Just seeing that positive growth in our boys just really is cool.”
The program will be having their annual breakfast in October with this year’s theme being “Breakout”. Horan said the theme “Breakout” represents progress and positively impacting boys.
“It’s a community gathering,” said Horan. “It’s a chance where we get to share with the community and the parents. We have students that actually cook the food which is wonderful and we have students that put together the program.”
The breakfast will have a panel of high school boys from the program.
