Bruce K. Craig Elementary School Principal Ebony Cox is calling for males in the community to become volunteers and mentors during the Dudes from Day 1 event on Monday, Aug 6 at 7:15 a.m. at 108 Craig Industrial Park.

“I want our students to see a male presence here at our school,” Cox said. “I also want to take that opportunity to invite the males in to do volunteering or mentorship with some of our young males.”

Cox said she noticed a lack of adult male participation within the school systems. She wants to integrate more males into the schools as role models to make a positive impact and implement core values into the minds of the students.

“A lot of my students come from single parents homes and some of them are being raised by grandparents,” Cox said. “We are losing males in our schools. They don’t enroll in education programs to teach, and because of that, many of my students just see female faces all the time. I figured if we can reach them right now in elementary school and try to instill some core values into them, then maybe we can stop some of the things that are happening in the community.”

Cox wishes for the volunteers and mentors to be available for more than just one day, and teach subjects and skills aside from just academics.

“I want our male volunteers to assist the children in more than just education,” she said. “Sports, careers, teambuilding skills and school related activities are other things I want them to promote and assist our children with.”

For more information on Dudes from Day 1 and becoming a mentor or volunteer, call Cox at (334)-875-7937.