Building Character in our Community

Matt is an eleven-year-old boy from Concord. Last year, Matt was referred from Kimball School to the Mayhew Program, a character-building program serving 20 Concord-area boys, and 191 boys statewide. Utilizing a unique blend of a rigorous summer camp experience and year-round follow-up, Mayhew is a six-year program of support that promotes the development of improved self-esteem, self-responsibility, healthier peer interactions, and a better sense of connection to the community for at-risk boys.

When Matt was first asked if he would be willing to make the commitment needed to succeed at Mayhew and improving himself, he stated, "maybe." His apprehension was natural for a ten-year-old boy. Fortunately, Matt said that, yes, he was willing to give it his best shot, so he was invited to participate in the challenging Mayhew Program.

After a successful summer with Mayhew last year, his Guidance Counselor wrote "Matt's return to school has been the smoothest ever. He appears calm, confident, and talks very positively about his Mayhew experience. It is so exciting to observe this positive approach to academic tasks which are so very hard for him."

Matt's growth over the past year is also evident by his initiative in keeping in frequent contact with his year-round Mayhew counselor. This summer at camp on Mayhew Island, located on beautiful Newfound Lake in Bristol, Matt was an important leader of his cabin. His transformation from a temperamental and hesitant contributor to the dedicated and caring individual that was such a help to his cabin group was due entirely to his hard work and willingness to think of others before himself.

Mayhew looks forward to visiting Matt over the course of the next four years. His self-confidence is rising, and he seems to better understand that his success is the result of hard work and learning from challenges. And he better understands that the way to make friends is to be a friend. Most importantly, Mayhew has reinforced two very important lessons -- how to be trustworthy and how to trust others.

Mayhew is pleased to be welcomed as a member agency of the Merrimack County United Way. By working with local boys like Matt in a meaningful way, Mayhew is an important partner in building a stronger community for all. Mayhew is a tuition-free program that has been serving New Hampshire youth since 1969. For more information, please contact Mayhew at 744-6131 or check out the website at www.mayhew.org .