By Bristow Marchant Published:

Wednesday, April 7, 2010 9:18 AM EDT

BADD - BM

African-American boys often have one of the toughest times in school. The teachers at Bell Street Middle School are determined to change that with a program for Black Achievers Determined to be Different. BADD was started at Bell Street last year under the direction of Assistant Principal Hal White. "BADD is a mentoring group for African-American males started by Dr. Robert Kirton in Columbia," White said while sitting in a Bell Street classroom. "The program was taken up by the district. We're one of the first ones in the Upstate, so we're kind of a piloting program." The program focuses on seven issues in the lives of young black men; character, communication, community, conviction, history, preparation and wellness. "In each area, we taught them the basic principles in our curriculum, with the three of us acting as facilitators," White said. Along with White, the other leaders of the BADD program are Al Devlin, a support services teacher, and Talbert Glover, the school's art teacher. In its first year of existence, BADD followed 14 students through the school year, challenging them on each of the seven principles. Eight of those students have moved on to high school, and the rest now form the core of an enlarged group of 24 students. "We picked young men from varying backgrounds and brought them together to help them become better young men through meeting the challenges," White said. "We purposely picked

different students so some of them could see you can be extremely intelligent and still fit in," Devlin said. "If you're struggling, there's someone who can help you.

It's a team-building program, not something to tell you there's someone better than you." Financed in part by donations from the community, BADD takes part in a number of service projects. Members will volunteer for the Fun Run put on by JROTC in May, adopt a highway, and get involved in community service on and off campus. "There's a teacher here with some physical limitations, and the kids are going to go to that person's house and help with their yard work," White said. "The kids were very adamant about doing that. It's very admirable." BADD has also received support from Chris and Edith Ann Grant at the Clinton House Plantation, where the group has held a few of their outings. "Young black men don't get a lot of opportunities to go hunting and shooting, so going out there just gives them another experience," White said. The leaders of Bell Street BADD hope the students they graduate will eventually be able to form another BADD chapter at Clinton High School. "Our intent at the high school is to continue to have positive things for them to do, that's not drugs, gangs or other non-productive activities," Devlin said. "It's an awesome task, because there's only a small amount that we can do, and we're trying to reach as many as possible." White stresses that race and income are not barriers to joining the group. "Caucasians have given us a lot of support too," he said. "Mr. (Carey) Barnett has helped us with transportation."

The hope is that as BADD members leave school, they will take its lessons with them. "We hope they will have a positive impact on others they come in contact with," White said. "Our plan is to take that information and training and turn that negative cycle around."

presented by The Clinton Chronicle