Members of the B.M.C. Durfee High School Peaceful Coalition announced a new program on December 5, 2008, to bring Coalition members together with men who are willing to spend an hour a week with them to help them develop valuable skills through character-building. "This program is designed to fill the gap in many of these young men's lives who lack a male role model," stated Peaceful Coalition advisor Paul Leite. "These kids need someone they can look to to provide a positive relationship," he added. The Peaceful Coalition is made up of young men and women who have been involved in gangs or who are at risk of becoming involved. They meet weekly at B.M.C. Durfee High School and receive counseling and advice from Mr. Leite and Tom Khoury who advise the group. Leite and Khoury noticed that many of the young men involved in Peaceful Coalition needed positive role models and decided to recruit at least 15 mentors to work one-on-one with the young men. Anyone with an interest is urged to contact Paul. The program is slated to start up in January 2009 and will last until June. Mentors are expected to spend an hour a week with their mentees. Click here for the Herald News article about the event. For more information about the group, contact student advisor Paul Leite. (Photos courtesy of Paul Leite)
 

 (Top row, left) Advisor Paul Leite, left, stands with students from the Coalition at the Veterans' Memorial Auditorium on Bank Street for the announcement to the press. (Top row, center) Ninth-grader Jacob Lloubet and eleventh-grader Peackdai Sun hold a banner for the Coalition. (Top row, right) Brandyn Moniz, a B.M.C. Durfee High School sophomore, talks to his peers at the Municipal Veterans Memorial talked about how the Peaceful Coalition helped him turn his life around.  (Middle row, left) Fall River Youth Services Coordinator Christian McCloskey talks about the potential of the project. (Middle row, right) Student advisor Tom Khoury emphasizes the importance of role models in helping to build character. (Bottom row, left) Student Kyle Rego talks about his own need for a male role model in his life. (Bottom row, center) Brandyn, holding his principal's certificate, poses for a photo with Mayor Correia who gave his support to the program. (Bottom row, right) Students pose for a photo after the press conference.