How can we meet the needs of our male student population?

Our Man Up Monday Program has volunteers and mentors that travel around the Rowan-Salisbury School District to train, support, and empower male students.

Koontz Elementary is so thankful to work alongside coordinator and mentor, Rev. Timothy Bates, along with the other mentors, George Bates, Rev. Dr. Roy L. Dennis Jr., and Rev. Jerry Miller.

Man Up Monday is a mentoring program for boys of all ages, Kindergarten through Twelfth grade in Rowan County, North Carolina. This is an opportunity to promote positivity for males of diverse backgrounds and enhance social, emotional, and academic growth in our young male students.  It strives to teach them to listen, learn, and pay attention to their surroundings in our school and in the community.  This program allows male mentors to make positive impressions on male students that will last a lifetime.

Man Up provides our male youth with a protected environment to develop respect, integrity, and good work ethics.  This program is committed to demonstrating to all males that they are respected and valued.

Reverend Bates says this about the program: “Our goal is to tap in their gifts and set before them positive role models, while at the same time, providing them with life skills.”

Courtney Hunter, EDKES Social, Emotional, and Learning (SEL) Coach has been committed to having this program available for our students. 

Hunter says, “As an SEL Coach, I truly believe in the three pillars of SEL which are culture, adult skills, and curriculum. Man Up has created a culture that allows our young males to thrive while learning social skills and core values that will last a lifetime. Man Up is providing a safe environment for our students to learn and grow from excellent mentors and professionals within the community. This program is especially beneficial to young males at Koontz because our young males are learning strategies that are directly related to our five SEL competencies. These strategies continue to teach our young male scholars' positive ways to behave socially, how to regulate emotions, and how to have a positive mindset in any situation. Thanks, so much Man Up!” 

Kevin Granger, Principal of Koontz Elementary School also speaks positively about this opportunity for our male students saying, “We are excited to welcome Reverend Bates and the Man Up program to Koontz.  Our male students are learning valuable life skills that will help them in and out of the classroom.”