Middle School Boys Need Male Role Models for Success

Volunteer mentors speak with middle school students during a mentoring and life-skills discussion over pizza in a community classroom setting.

Strong role models can change the direction of a young person’s life. At Ben Hill Middle School, volunteer mentors are helping middle school boys build confidence, strengthen academic performance, and navigate life’s challenges through meaningful conversation and consistent support. By sharing wisdom, encouragement, and real-life experiences, these mentors are creating connections that inspire students to believe in their future and reach their full potential.

For the past two school years, members of the Bryan Glazer Family JCC Men’s Club have served as mentors for 20 eighth grade boys at Ben Hill Middle School. Their impact is undeniable. Mentees showed improved confidence in the classroom, increased school attendance, and better academic performance. Inspired by the program’s success, Kiwanis Club of Carrollwood joined in to serve as mentors for 20 seventh grade boys.

Mentors meet with students twice a month during lunch to share wisdom from lessons learned throughout their career and life experiences that will help students build a brighter future. Each mentoring session is designed around a specific topic such as character development, bullying, goal setting, and career paths. The whole group discusses it together. Then small groups break out, so the mentors can dive into it deeper and stimulate meaningful conversations.

During each lunch-time mentoring session, students are served pizza to reduce the amount of time they stand in line in the cafeteria and maximize the time for mentoring. However, the financial strain of providing the pizza ongoing prompted a generous donation from Elliot Arocha, the owner of Junk Liberty, a local Carrollwood business. As a former Ben Hill Middle School student and a resident deeply invested in the community, Elliot understands the importance of giving back. Thanks, Elliott!

Ed Datz has been a champion in leading and developing the Male Mentoring Program at Ben Hill since the beginning. He shared, “The boys love having someone who cares and will listen to them. They are very open about their family life, athletics, schoolwork, friends, and what’s great and not great. This is a window into a new generation of boys that I never would have had without the mentoring program. I love being able to share lessons learned from my own life to build up the next generation. As volunteers, we learn just as much from the students we are mentoring, and our lives are enriched in a very powerful way.”

Volunteer mentor speaks with a student during a group mentoring session focused on encouragement, connection, and personal growth.

Looking ahead, our goal is to continue to expand mentoring groups in more middle schools throughout Tampa Bay. With a minimal commitment level and profound rewards, this volunteer opportunity offers the chance to shape young minds by sharing your wisdom. If you are passionate about making a positive impact, join our volunteer group and become a mentor for the next generation!