Challenged by the need to positively influence young people in the face of peer pressure, conflicting cultural and social mores and distressing real-life situations, several local churches are putting faith in a ‘life-changing program’ with a 553-page manual.

The yearlong program entitled “Reducing the Risk of Youth Engaging in Risky Behavior through Faith-Based Rites of Passage” was written by clinical psychologist Dr. Theresa Okwumabua, coordinator of outreach for the Department of Psychology at the University of Memphis. It started in October with weekly meetings at individual churches and closes Thursday, May 28, with a joint Community Picnic at St. Columba Episcopal Center in Bartlett.

Seven African-American churches and several Hispanic churches are participating in the program, which builds upon self-discovery and ethnic and family history.

Rev. Quinten Smith, pastor of Greater Payne Chapel AME Church at 1087 North Watkins, has been involved in the program since October and sees it as compatible with his overall vision for Greater Payne. More than a dozen faithful adult volunteers have donated Saturday mornings to assist youth at the church and from the community with lessons, activities and special programs guided by a U of M staff person.

University of Memphis graduate student Courtney Peasant administers a Rites of Passage program, end-of-the-school-year test at Greater Payne Chapel AME Church. (Photos by Florence M. Howard)

“The Rites of Passage will blend over into the church, and into the children and into the neighborhood for marked change in grades, behavior and social outlook,” said. Rev. Smith.

“We are chipping away at making a difference in their lives.”

Pastor Smith chose a husband and wife team – Erica and Albert Boyce – to organize the membership, which committed to provide space and volunteers for the program that Erica Boyce now calls a blessing and a shot in the arm for the church, the children and volunteers.

Boyce teamed with her husband and his sister, Sonya Boyce, during several preliminary training sessions designed to get them ready to manage what is now known as the Greater Payne Rites of Passage program.

Erica Boyce says Dr. Okwumbua’s manual, “Let the Circle Be Unbroken: A Model Curriculum for Rites of Passages,” is the heart and soul of the program.

Targeting at-risk behaviors like “drinking, drugging, sexing,” teen pregnancy, gangs and dropping out of school, the hefty manual starts off with a chapter on Knowing Yourself And Others and ends with one on Career Development.

In addition, there are field trips, community service projects, games and competitions that give student participants a chance for hands-on learning, fun and interaction. In addition to joint activities, such as the Mancala games held during Kwanzaa and the Knowledge Bowl competition in April, each church develops its own field trips and special projects. Churches also pick the regular weekly meeting day.

Erica Boyce said this faith-based rites of passage program works because it is relevant to the young people. “It’s something they can relate to because it was practical.”

More importantly, she and other volunteers have seen remarkable changes in the grades and behavior of the children. “The program really does make a change in their lives,” added Sonya Boyce. “The children have come back and said it makes a difference.”

Lasting Changes

Angelique Jones said her 16-year-old son James (left) was hard to handle at home and school but made drastic improvement in behavior and grades after he got involved with the Rites of Passage program. Her 15-year-old son Matthew wrote in his journal that Rites of Passage taught him about family roles and how to dream.

Among GPC success stories are James Williams and his younger brother Matthew. James has brought his mother to tears on more than one occasion. Formerly an honor student at Raleigh-Egypt Middle School, James was headed in the wrong direction – his grades were down and he had problems getting along with his sibling and his teachers.

His mother, Angelique Jones, says James is now different. “He’s just nicer. He used to always be in trouble every week at school,” she said. “Since Rites of Passage, he’s changed for the better.”

Rites of Passage “improved me by showing me what is real in life,” wrote James in a recent assignment, “by showing me all my ancestors that stood up for us in the past. It makes me want to do the same thing in the future, like Barack Obama, but not for the fame or glory but for the love of God.”

James, who turns 16 on June 26, is not the only source of pride for Jones and her husband, James Jones. Brother William, who celebrates his 15th birthday on May 21, was painfully shy, but no more.

Recently honored with the Youth of the Year Award by the GPC Young People’s Department, William has joined the step-team and Men of Standard club at Snowden School. In his journal, he wrote that Rites of Passage taught him about family roles and how to dream.

Eye-opening experiences

A community outreach coordinator for the faith-based program, Courtney Peasant is a graduate student in the Clinical Psychology Department at the University of Memphis who works with 3 of the 7 participating churches.

A native Memphian with an undergraduate degree from Florida A& M, Peasant, 23, said her first year back in Memphis has been an eye-opening experience. “I now understand what they (youth) are facing in at-risk areas identified by the State of Tennessee. It puts things into perspective. It’s a good way to get out of your comfort zone and understand why they’re doing this and doing that.”

“I didn’t know what to expect,” said the Germantown High graduate. “It’s changed my perspective on a lot of things. I realize you can grow up in the same city and not understand another person’s perspective, from an age perspective or gender perspective.”

Peasant said the churches in the program have used the community service aspect of the curriculum in different ways – to visit nursing homes, give Valentine cards at St. Jude, feed the homeless and work with the Memphis NAACP Youth Council.

Also, the Hispanic faith-based rites of passage program called “Project Oh!” uses Hispanic pride and ancestry with sessions conducted in Spanish.

Church participation

Although many churches received invitations to join the faith-based rites of passage program, only eight agreed to participate and one has since dropped out because of a lack of volunteers.

Beside Greater Payne, other actively participating African-American churches include Ambassadors for Christ Fellowship Church, Freedom’s Chapel Christian Church, One Faith Fellowship, Parable Community Temple, Union Grove Holiness Church and Walker Memorial Christian.