Prepping Fifth to Twelfth Graders to be Successful Contributors in Society is Essential.
By Staff writer
“When you tell kids, instead of buying some pairs of Nike’s, you can own Nike stock and then allow Nike to buy you a pair of Nike’s, it gives a different mindset to them,” Price says, who’s a public speaker and author from Buffalo. “You listen to television, you hear about women empower this, and women empower that, and for some reason right now, young men are being left out of the equation.”
Price is the creator of the “From Boys to Men” program, in which he teaches workshops in various schools from Niagara Falls to Buffalo Public schools. He has recently been brought to the Charles Drew Science Magnet School located in the same building as the Buffalo Science Museum, to teach his program.
Working with students at Charles Drew Charter, BUILD Academy, Maritime Charter and Burgard H.S. “Their only resource is graduate and go to college, or graduate and get a job or graduate and go into the streets, or not graduate at all,” Price says. “They see the streets and the crimes and the drugs, that’s what they emulate.” “Surround Yourself with Better” is one of the program’s mottos.
For some, Price stands as the lone male figure in his students’ lives, where he teaches entrepreneurship, personal finance, nutrition, and personal hygiene. “Dress for Success,” “Think & Grow Wealth,” and Public Speaking is essential areas covered in the programs, where the young men are taught to start businesses, learn about real estate and how to invest in the stock market. These are areas that Price has been successful and shares from his life experiences.
“Last year I wasn’t good. I got suspended a couple of times. And this year I’ve changed since I have been in the group,” Sixth-grader, Kenji Jones stated.
Time goes by fast, and everybody knows that. But most kids think they have all the time in the world. Now 10, 15 years go by, and it’s gone, so you wanna learn about money financing while you’re young, so by the time you are old, you’ll already know what to do,” Sixth-grader, Joshua Collier stated.
Price lacked a male role model in his life from ages 5-13. His childhood sparked his inspiration, he has since written two books, “No Dream is Impossible,” and “This Week in Black History” (From Kings to Presidents) and is currently working on “A Mother’s Love” (Preparing Young men for Success). The new workbook is based on the theories and activities used in the “From Boys to Men” program. For more information: WillieAPrice@aol.com or www.WillieAPriceSpeaks.net
