For decades, Belmont has served as a host location for the 100 Kings – a free, leadership development program created by the 100 Black Men of Middle Tennessee, Inc.
Intentionally designed as a year-round college and career readiness program for Black male students in 5th through 12th grade, Belmont has been a home for the 100 Kings since it was initially launched.
In June, the program will celebrate 20 years of an enduring commitment to the mentorship, education and flourishing of young Black males in Nashville.
Helping Young Black Men
At its core, 100 Black Men have a mission to help young, Black men. Although students are encouraged to maintain an acceptable GPA, there are no additional requirements for entry into the program.
“When it comes to interviewing for a job or engaging with the justice system, healthcare or real estate, they all fall in the same boat, they are Black,” 100 Kings Executive Director Andre Lee said. “We're trying to be that organization that help students and tries to meet them where they are so they can be successful.”
100 Kings offers students a 360-degree education that isn’t found in the traditional classroom. Led by program leaders and volunteer instructors, each grade level learns fundamental education like science, history and culture through the lens of Black consciousness. They also learn skills for successful living like communication, critical thinking and personal wellness. A complement to the 100 Kings curriculum is the exposure to the role models and mentors represented by the 100 Black Men of Middle Tennessee.
Impacting Families: What they see is what they'll be.
Tiffany Armstrong has two boys in the 100 Kings program. Her son TJ Armstrong and nephew Tyree Johnson, now 11th graders, have both been in the program since 5th grade.
“They may never meet President Obama, but they will meet men of the 100 who look like them and believe in them,” she said.
When Armstrong and her husband registered their son and nephew in 100 Kings, they underestimated its potential impact on their family.
“We are a pretty close-knit family, but my husband didn’t have a dad growing up,” she said. “Nobody taught him how to tie a tie, or to have a firm handshake or look people in the eye. It’s hard to teach what you haven’t been taught. Now, he's working hard to make sure his kids have what he didn’t.”
By educating and mentoring students, families can bridge the knowledge gap that affects many in the Black community.
Belmont’s Vice President for Strategic Operations and Executive in Residence of the Jack C. Massey Graduate School of Business Ed Magee helps lead one of the University’s newest task forces that focuses on addressing challenges that face young men.
Considering that focusing on good behavior is fundamental to sustainable problem-solving, Magee sees the extended partnership with 100 Kings as a valuable contribution to Belmont’s institutional work to support students, particularly male students.
“We've made a commitment and an investment to the 100 Kings that's endured for two decades,” Magee noted. “Not a lot of organizations have even lasted two decades. The space we provide is important, but an advantage beyond that is stability. The stability that Belmont gives allows them to plan multiple years in advance.”
Raising the Bar
With a secure and stable environment, 100 Kings anticipates 180 students to participate in the summer session, starting in June – nearly double the program's historical count. Belmont’s involvement has also grown from simply being a host site to having several departments contribute to 100 Kings programs and curriculum over the years.
“Being on campus proves to our students and shows them that Belmont is a space that is welcoming and safe for them, and it connects them to a college campus,” said Julissa Maxwell 100 Kings program manager.
The spring term wrapped up in April with a culminating series of competitions for Gentlemen (5th & 6th graders), Knights (7th & 8th graders), Barons (9th & 10th graders) and Dukes (11th & 12th graders), respectively.
In April, 100 Kings held a mock trial in the College of Law for the Barons cohort. In addition, Massey College of Business’s Entrepreneur in Residence Ryan Reisdorf advised the participants of the entrepreneurship pitch competition hosted at Belmont.
11th and 12th graders worked in teams to create a business idea to launch in Nashville geared toward families during the pitch competition. Cash prizes were given to the top three pitches and to the student with perfect attendance: $500 for 1st place, $250 for 2nd place, $150 for 3rd place and $50 for perfect attendance.
Across the hall, the Gentleman cohort competed in a speech competition where the 5th and 6th grade students presented speeches up to 3-minutes in length on various topics of their choosing. Fifth grader Braeden Carlton won second place for his original speech. He shared the lesson he learned after seeing his dad de-escalate a hostile situation with a stranger while they were out shopping one day.
“Putting his pride aside, my dad felt this conflict could be resolved by simply walking away,” Carlton said. “I learned a valuable lesson that day, we do not have to react in a way society tries to mold our character. As a young gentleman growing into a king, I will continue proving others’ wrong every chance I get. Violence or negativity does not have to play a role in this community.”
100 Black Men of Middle Tennessee will celebrate 20 years of the 100 Kings at its 33rd annual Gala, Saturday, June 1.
The application process for the 100 Kings is only open twice a year and available to students from rising fifth graders to rising sophomores. To learn more or register for the program, visit the 100 Kings website.