Center Airmen start mentoring program for at-risk youth

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Marianne Lane
  • National Air and Space Intelligence Center Public Affairs
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio --  Two National Air and Space Intelligence Center Airmen recently created a Justice Mentoring Program aimed at impacting the lives of at-risk youth in the Dayton area through mentoring and mediation.

The JMP, a brainchild of Tech. Sgt. Nate Falu-Febres and Senior Airman Nathan Dillard, is a group of military members, college students and entrepreneurs who want to make a difference. The group sends five to eight members twice per month five to eight JMP volunteers interact to meet with about 50 local children.

“I am the founding president of JMP,” Dillard said. “I was personally moved by the negative images and situations we often see inner-city youth experiencing all around the United States in the media. In February of 2015, (Falu-Febres), Senior Airman Kyle Flemings and I all reached out to other Airmen around the base who wanted to find a way to impact the lives of inner-city youth through active community mentoring.”

The JMP volunteers works create positive interaction and encouragement with the youth by playing basketball, card games, assisting them with their homework assignments and other activities.

“We worked with the Dayton Mediation Center and the Montgomery County Juvenile Courts which gave each of our volunteers over 20 hours of training in conflict resolution and other ways and tactics to teach us how to positively connect with the youth,” Dillard said.

Falu-Febres and Dillard also created a strong partnership with Montgomery County Juvenile Courts Judge Anthony Capizzi by connecting more than 40 military members and Wright State University students with the Natural Helpers Program that connects mentors with at-risk youth.

When asked about the future contributions of the program, Dilllard stated, “We are looking to start a JMP scholarship that will help any eligible inner-city youth pay for school supplies each school year.”

The intent of the JMP is to break the current trend of negative opinions and actions in area youth.

“We hope to lead by example for others and perpetuate an example of diverse Americans coming together for one cause to the youth of Dayton,” Dillard said.

For more information about, contact Dillard at (937) 522-6772.