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By: Erin Smith
The young men who have been taking part in the Young Men’s Academy at Elizabethtown Middle School and Bladenboro Middle School were in for a special treat on Tuesday afternoon.
As the young men entered the Elizabethtown Middle School they were greeted by loud applause as members of the business community, government officials, law enforcement, and school personnel all lined the hallway to greet them and acknowledge their success in the program. The young men’s faces beamed with pride as they walked past each person and entered the cafeteria for the evening’s program.
ETMS Principal Elizabeth Cole said, “Our young men’s academy came from a Facebook post.”
She explained that one evening she was reading on Facebook and came across a post from a school in Maryland that presented a similar program. Cole said she sent the post to Coach Tripp Lancaster.
Cole said there are plans to implement the program next year school wide 5th through 8th grades.
“Thank you for kicking it off and doing it the right way,” said Cole.
Cole also thanked Bladenboro Middle School for having the same dream.
She said the program talks a lot about being gentlemen and about being professional.
The speaker for the afternoon was Bladen County Schools Superintendent Robert Taylor. He acknowledged Lancaster’s parents Kip and Trinh Lancaster and Mrs. Kinlaw of Bladenboro Middle School.
“Having people interested in you is one of the most important things in life,” said Taylor.
Taylor also recognized Bladenboro Middle School Principal Randi Harrelson.
Taylor said told those gathered that one should always think about the people you impact.
“One thing that always motivated me was to make my mom and my grandmom proud of me,” said Taylor.
Taylor asked the young to think about what they have learned and he asked them if they have learned a lot about what it takes to be a gentleman.
“Mr. Lancaster and Mrs. Kinlaw planted a seed,” said Taylor.
Taylor told the group of young men that the lessons they have been learning in the Young Men’s Academy will carry them throughout their lives.
“Our hope is the things that we have taught you will keep you on the path that is straight,” said Taylor.
He discussed the traits of gentlemen which include being respectful, having integrity and honesty and professionalism.
“I hope you remember those things when it is most critical,” said Taylor.
Taylor told the group that respect is very important. He said that “you can’t treat other people unfairly and have them respect you.”
As Taylor discussed integrity and honesty by telling the young men they should be honest and tell the truth at all times.
Taylor told the group that professionalism is really about having a good strong will to do whatever you are doing and doing it well.
“It is about looking the part,” said Taylor. He related the story of when he was a substitute teacher. He told the students that he didn’t know any better and came to school dressed in a shirt and a tie.
“That was my idea of how teachers were supposed to be,” said Taylor.
He added that when he applied for his first real teaching job it was in the same school he had served as a substitute. Taylor said the principal remembered him because of how he dressed and he was hired.
“If you show up to school every day dressed like you are right now, people will notice,” said Taylor. “Professionalism Is about being serious about what you do.”
He said the best wisdom he had gotten was from his Grandmother. Taylor said that she told him that if he as going to do something, he needed to do it well.
“If you are going to do something be the best,” said Taylor.
He told the students that in five years, they will be in high school and preparing to graduate and these things still be true. Taylor told them that people will remember them for the things they have done or said.
“You can have fun in life but someday you are going to become a man. People look at everything that you do,” said Taylor.
He read the poem “A Gentleman.” The author is unknown. The poem reads:
“A man who is clean inside and outside, who neither looks up to the rich nor down on the poor; who can lose without squealing, who can win without bragging; who is considerate of women, children and old people; who is too brave to lie; too generous to cheat; ad too sensible to loaf; who takes just his share of the world’s goods and let’s people have theirs…… This is the ideal concept of a true gentleman.”
Tripp Lancaster told the students that they deserved all of the praise and the applause. He thanked those that attended and supported the Young Men’s Academy.
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