Strong Male Role Models host camp

Baltimore County (Map, News) - Many young men at Baltimore County’s Woodlawn High School thank psychology teacher Dean Scott for turning their lives around.

Before meeting Scott, they said they were drifting toward a path of drugs, truancy and other risky behaviors, but now, they are solid students who are active in the community.

“It was a blessing to find someone who would listen. I was like a book on a shelf that was never opened,” said Devon Gilmore, 19, a member of Scott’s school organization, 100 Strong Male Role Models.

Ten officers in the more than 130-member group are working to give incoming Woodlawn High students the same opportunity Scott gave them in the 100 Strong Male Role Models’ first Youth REACH — Resilience, Effort, Awareness, Creativity and Honesty — summer camp.

Starting Monday, 40 rising male freshman — many struggling academically — from Woodlawn Middle School, Windsor Mill Middle School and Southwest Academy will attend the free three-week camp at Woodlawn High School. The camp is being paid for with community donations.

“We put this together as teenagers, because we have a vision to get these ninth-graders in check,” said 100 Strong Male Role Models member Jermaine Isaac, 17.

Scott, who will oversee the camp and teach the writing workshop, said he wants the camp to be mostly student-run.

“I think it’s the best thing to do. When they see me as a teacher, they still see me as adult,” he said.

And the boys say they are excited to have an effect on the future generation of Woodlawn High students — each camp leader will be assigned four campers to mentor throughout high school.

“I know I wish when I came to high school, someone told me what to expect,” said 100 Strong Male Role Models member David Dean, 17.

mmcilroy@baltimoreexaminer.com