>> VUHLENTY TULLOCK IS AN ADJUSTMENT COUNSELOR AT THE
CHARLTON STREET SCHOOL IN SOUTHBRIDGE, MA, WHO NOTICED A
NEED TO HELP STUDENTS THAT WERE HAVING BEHAVIORAL ISSUES.
HE SAW THAT THE TEACHERS WERE SPENDING
MORE TIME ON DISCIPLINING, RATHER THAN TEACHING.
INSPIRED BY A VIDEO HE SAW, HE CREATED A MENTORING GROUP -- THE
YOUNG GENTLEMAN'S CLUB.
AND A YEAR LATER, EVERYONE AT THE
SCHOOL HAS SEEN THE DIFFERENCE IT HAS MADE.
PRODUCER ALEJANDRO CAMERON BRINGS US THIS STORY.
>> THE YOUNG GENTLEMAN CLUB HELPED ME BEING RESPECTIVE.
>> THE YOUNG GENTLEMAN'S CLUB HELPED ME FROM NOT MAKING BAD
DECISIONS.
>> GOOD CHOICES.
>> IF I'M GOING THROUGH SOMETHING, I HAVE PEOPLE TO HELP
ME.
>> IT MEANS A LOT.
IT HELPED ME A LOT WITH BECOMING THE PERSON WHO I AM WITH MAKING
MORE FRIENDS, WITH BEING A KINDER PERSON AND ESPECIALLY
BEING NICE AND GENTLE.
>> INITIALLY, LIKE THE GENTLEMAN'S CLUB AND YOU HEAR
THAT -- PEOPLE LAUGH OR, LIKE, WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE CHARLTON
STREET SCHOOL WITH THE GENTLEMAN'S CLUB.
>> WE HAVE A LOT OF CHALLENGES WITH BEHAVIOR.
THERE ARE MORE KIDS IN THE HALLWAY THAN IN THE CLASSROOM.
WE KNEW THAT WE WERE IN A STATE OF EMERGENCY AND, LIKE, HOW DO
WE CONNECT WITH OUR KIDS SO THE WANT TO BE IN CLASS AND WE HAVE
STUDENTS LEARNING 'CAUSE THERE WAS NO TIME ON LEARNING.
>> SO THE PURPOSE BEHIND THE MENTORING CLUB HERE -- AND IT'S
REALLY ALIGNED WITH OUR SCHOOL'S VISION IS TO CREATE A SAFE
LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL KIDS THAT ATTEND SCHOOL SO IT'S
REALLY TO CREATE A CULTURE AND CLIMATE THAT FOSTERS LEARNING.
ON TOP OF THAT WE WANT TO GIVE KIDS A VOICE, AND THAT WE
BELIEVE IN YOU GUYS AND EVERY MORNING WE DO CHECK-INS AND
THEIR BEHAVIORS ARE TIED TO A POINT SHEET, AND IN THE MORNING
WE KIND OF SIT DOWN AND WE DISCUSS THEIR GOALS FOR THE DAY
AND, YOU KNOW, WE WORK TOGETHER ON THAT SO THAT THE STUDENTS,
ARE LIKE, NO -- THESE ARE THE CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE AND THIS
IS WHAT I WANT TO WORK ON.
ONCE WE COLLABORATE WITH THE STUDENTS AND WE FIGURE OUT WHAT
THEIR GOALS ARE FOR THE DAY.
WE HAVE A PLEDGE.
AFTER WE DO THE GENTLEMAN'S PLEDGE WE SEND THEM OFF TO
CLASS.
I SEE EASY A CHANGE IN THE STUDENTS BECAUSE -- WE WEREN'T
ALWAYS JUST ABLE TO SEND THEM TO CLASS, ALL RIGHT, GUYS, BUT THEY
ACTUALLY HOLD EACH OTHER ACCOUNTABLE AND IT STARTS THE
DAY IN A POSITIVE DAY.
WE DO CHECK-INS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY AND THE END OF THE DAY
AND WE MEET ONCE A WEEK FOR GROUP COUNSELING WHICH HAS
RAISED A PLATFORM FOR KIDS TO TALK ABOUT THAT'S GOING ON IN
THEIR LIVES.
THAT IT'S A SAFE PLACE.
TODAY WE'RE ACTUALLY TAKING A TRIP TO THE FIRE STATION AND
WORKING WITH, YOU KNOW -- GETTING A TOUR OF THE
FIRE STATION AND LETTING THE NEWS KNOW THIS IS GUYS FROM THE
COMMUNITY THAT, YOU KNOW -- YOU GUYS LOOK UP TO AND ONE DAY YOU
CAN BE A FIREMAN.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE A MENTOR IN REALLY ALL CHILDREN'S
LIVES, SOMEBODY THAT CAN ROLE MODEL NOT JUST PARENTS BUT
SOMEBODY IN THE COMMUNITY THAT CAN BE A ROLE MODEL AND SOMEBODY
TO HAVE CONNECTION WITH AND SOMEBODY THAT CAN BUILD TRUST SO
IF YOU'RE HAVING AN ISSUE AT SCHOOL OR AT HOME -- IF YOU HAVE
A CONNECTION WITH THAT PERSON, YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE LETTING
THEM KNOW AND ALSO JUST SOMEBODY WHO CAN LEAD BY EXAMPLE AND
SHOWING SHOW YOU THINGS.
MY MENTOR GROWING UP WAS MY OLDER BROTHER AS WELL.
HE MODELED EXACTLY HOW, YOU KNOW, A MALE SHOULD BE AND HOW
YOU SHOULD TREAT PEOPLE AND SO EVER SINCE -- AND I ALWAYS TELL
HIM, I APPRECIATE HIM FOR THAT SO I THINK NOW USING THOSE
EXPERIENCES IN LEARNING THINGS AT AN EARLIER AGE, I'M ABLE TO
NOW -- I DIDN'T HAVE ACCESS TO SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT
SOME OF THESE KIDS THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH HAVE ACCESS TO.
THIS EARLY ON.
I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO TIE A TIE TILL I WAS -- I'M STILL LEARNING
HOW TO TIE A TIE, YOU KNOW, EFFECTIVELY -- VERY WELL BUT
WE'RE GIVING KIDS ACCESS TO LITTLE THINGS LIKE THAT AT SUCH
AN EARLIER AGE SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
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