By Carl Jenkins, Teacher

Palisade Preparatory School aspires to turn its MBK brothers into Yonkers’ next generation of hometown heroes.  Based on the program’s busy first year, they are well on their way.

Reflecting the school’s motto, “We are Hometown Heroes,” Palisade Preparatory School’s MBK convened an event called “My Hero’s Walk” earlier this year to reflect on real life heroes and to explore how students might emulate them.   

MBK brothers discussed the definition and characteristics of heroes, analyzing whether they are defined by their situations or whether there are universal heroic qualities.  Students finalized their perspectives, relating them to people in their lives. They recorded their thoughts on sentence strips to be hung in classrooms or in the boys’ rooms at home to keep the topic fresh in their minds.

Leading the hero exercise was special education teacher Carl Jenkins who many consider a hometown hero, said Assistant Principal Will Barrow, who advises MBK with Mr. Jenkins.  A graduate of Yonkers High School, Jenkins played football for Syracuse University before returning to Yonkers as an educator, a football and baseball coach earlier in his career at Lincoln High School and now at Pal Prep.  The school’s principal, Michelle Yazurlo, also graduated from a Yonkers’ high school, Saunders Trades and Technical School.

“We want to inspire MBK members to become hometown heroes and give back to the community,” said Mr. Barrow, adding that about 20 active high school members are working to bring new brothers and younger students into the group.

Pal Prep’s MBK aspiring heroes this spring collected more than 300 new and gently used books, from students, teachers, community members and staff from other schools. They donated the books to the Nepperhan Community Center’s after-school program. In collaboration with Nepperhan, a YonkersMBK partner, the group ran the book drive to support YonkersMBK Milestone 2 -- Ensure all children read at grade level by third grade.   

Pal Prep’s MBK brothers were invite to peek into the professional lives of city leaders during YonkersMBK’s Take a Student to Work Day. Justin Brodwith, grade 12, and Louis Anazco, grade 11, shared lunch with Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano. Tenth grader Nuryel Benitez, 10, learned the value of using education to pursue one’s dreams during his lunch with Yonkers Public Schools Superintendent Edwin Quezada.

As part of their efforts to help MBK brothers secure summer jobs and prepare for college interviews, Pal Prep high school students attended a session with Mary Ann DeSalvo, a High School and Community Relations Manager from the College of Westchester. Ms. DeSalvo reviewed “soft skills” such as clear communication and maintaining a professional appearance for job interviews.    

In addition to attending the Summer Job Fair at Lincoln High School this Spring, 10 students from Pal Prep’s MBK spent a day at the Latino College Expo and Leadership Summit at New York University. They attended workshops on writing college essays, taking the SATs and learned what types of support organizations and individuals exists on college campuses to support new students.  More than 50 colleges participated in the Expo including Adelphi University, Fordham University, Ithaca College, Monroe College, College of Mount Saint Vincent and the City University of New York.

Pal Prep’s MBK also held a High School Transcript Seminar. With advisors’ assistance, students checked their transcripts to understand how many credits they had earned, how many Regent exams they passed and what subjects they needed to pass to stay on track for graduation.

MBK Advisors: Assistant Principal Will Barrow and Teacher Carl Jenkins