On Saturday, March 7th 2015, Project MALES hosted the young men and staff of XY-Zone for Explore UT 2015. XY-Zone is a male leadership development and peer support program in Central Texas, that develops productive life skills in high school-aged, at risk youth.
This meeting introduced young male students of color to the University of Texas at Austin and the opportunities made possible through higher education. Project MALES mentoring staff and mentors welcomed a total of 20 students and 6 staff members to this event. Visiting campuses included Eastside Memorial, Elgin, Hays, Reagan, and Travis High School. Guest students began their day with a campus tour, visiting major landmarks on campus while exploring the various activities hosted by Explore UT. During lunch, Dr. Victor Saenz provided the young men with tips on how to become successful and shared information about the critical work Project MALES is doing around males of color. This event ended with Project MALES mentors facilitating student break out sessions focused on the educational pipeline.
Project MALES hopes to continue our partnership with XY-Zone through events like Explore UT. We look forward to continuing our commitment to partnering up with community organizations and working with youth.