The Community Times Dispatch

Colleton County School District Assistant Superintendent William Dixon has been working with a number of school, agency, business,and community leaders to bring the vision of a Boys to Young Men,Young Men to Men Retreat to bear in February.

Colleton County School District will host the first annual Team Colleton Boys to Young Men to Men Retreat on Monday, February 22, at Hampton Street Auditorium.

The purpose of the first annual Team Colleton Boys to Young Men to Men Retreat is to rally 300 local males, ages 11-19, to address the issues and problems that impact the socialization of young men, in the 21st century. Through the retreat, youth, adults, schools, churches, community organizations, and interested individuals will participate in relevant, engaging discussions and activities.

The first annual Team Colleton Boys to Young Men to Men Retreat will include presentations from professional and college athletes and coaches, doctors, educators, ministers, police officers, engineers, lawyers, judges, musicians and entertainers, and many more. Among the invited and confirmed speakers are Rick Fountain of Fountain & Associates Seminars for Success; Pamela Overton; Dr. Barry Lee of Colleton Family Health; Chief Otis Rhodes of the Walterboro Police Department; Michael Burgess of The College of the Low country; Walterboro native Matthew Frazier of the No Weapons Soldier organization; Cornelius Hamilton of the South Carolina State University 1890 Research Project; Chris Dodson, General Manager of Wal-mart; Wayne Bennett of the local Juvenile Justice; Lieutenant Allen Inabinet of the Colleton County Sheriff’s Department; Chartric Darby, retired National Football League defensive lineman; Tre Young, member of South Carolina State University’s MEAC Championship football team; Dwayne Buckner, Walterboro City Councilman; Coach Leroy Riley, Colleton County High athletic director; Terry Seabrook of the United States Census and many others.

Breakout session topics include Loving Myself and Self Esteem, Respect and Responsibility, Conflict Resolution, Peer Pressure, Dress & Hygiene and Drug Awareness, How to Treat Young Ladies, Anger Management, Conflict Resolution, Beginning to Think about Careers, Rapping, and Sports. A special breakout session will be held for area teachers who want to learn more about teaching boys and young men.

A catered lunch will be served and t-shirts will be distributed to all participants. There will also be door prizes and special drawings. Afternoon activities include signing up for mentoring partnerships and interacting with area fraternal organizations.

Interested speakers who would like to facilitate or lead a breakout session or community members who would like to make door prize donations may call 782-4526. Community members interested in serving as a mentor to a male youth are also encouraged to call 782-4526.