By Ivan Pereira
Southeast Queens activist Larry Moore noticed that the youth in the area needed an extra push to get them to mature into hardworking adults, so he took matters into his own hands.
Moore has started a new after-school group at August Martin High School and has been helping 20 teens not only to improve their academics, but their self-esteem. The co-creator of the nonprofit outreach group A Cause, A Concern, A Solution, said he was concerned when he spoke with the youth and found their outlook on life was pessimistic.
“I’d ask them where did they see themselves in the future and a lot of them said they didn’t know,” he said. “But when I asked them how many of them wanted to be president, they all suddenly raised their hands.”
Moore worked with August Martin’s principal, Anthony Cromer, to develop a program to unleash that potential as productive citizens. Moore visits the group every day after school and engages them in peer discussions about their futures.
“It’s all about focusing on where they want to go,” he said.
The biggest message Moore gives to the students is to stay in school and do well. A solid education helps the students achieve a lot later in life, according to Moore.
The students have taken that message to heart.
Nateja Smith, 16, said she is strongly considering going to college after finishing her time at August Martin, thanks to Moore’s talk.
“It helped me pick up my grades and pushed me more to become better,” she said.
Another aspect Moore said needed work was the teens’ appearances. The activist said he was fed up with the way they presented themselves, wearing sagging pants and tacky clothes.
The members of the group are not only wearing slacks, shirts and ties and other casual business attire to school, but also taking a liking to the new fashion.
“When he talked to us, it helped me to develop into a better adult inside and out,” said 17-year-old Destiny Dowdell.
Moore said he wants to reach out to more teens next semester and urge them to rethink their goals and the ways to attain them.
Reach reporter Ivan Pereira by e-mail at ipereira@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4546.
