The Alfred Blakes Cultural Arts Center is echoing with energy this week as boys aged 9 to 14 participate in the 2025 “Man Camp,” a four-day youth development experience hosted by the Black Tie Guys mentoring program.
Running June 2–5 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., the camp offers a packed daily schedule aimed at building strong character, discipline, and leadership among young men in the community. Each day explores a different theme: Discipline and First Impressions, Goal Setting and Vision, Character and Choices, and Respect and Responsibility.
The opening day featured a powerful manhood talk on discipline, a step routine on the five W’s of success led by Dre’ Hatfield, and practical guidance on dressing and dining with dignity. Hatfield taught youth a fun step routine that emphasized being well-dressed, well-spoken, well-read, well-traveled, and well-disciplined.
The second day encouraged forward-thinking with writing exercises focused on identifying personal goals and objectives, and even included a lesson using dominoes as a tool for strategy and forward thinking.
Sammy Crawford used fitness as a tool, and encouraged boys to discipline themselves and to avoid violence encounters as they performed fitness routines, lifted weights and punched dummies.
By Wednesday, the boys were deep into a CSI-style mock crime investigation facilitated by the Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office, emphasizing that every choice carries consequences. Discussions on conflict resolution followed, capped off with a community service project aimed at giving back.
The camp concludes Thursday, June 5, with a morning devotion and a move to the University of Louisiana at Monroe (ULM) campus for a tennis workshop. There, campers will receive basic instruction in tennis, blending recreation with lessons in sportsmanship and discipline. The final manhood talk will center on the importance of respect and responsibility, followed by a celebratory awards ceremony featuring certificates and prizes.
The Black Tie Guys, is a youth mentoring program sponsored by Tab-N-Action, Inc. It is one of several community initiatives sponsored by the Ouachita Parish Police Jury through Rev. Micheal Thompson, Tom Malmay, and Lonnie Hudson, as well as legislative funding through Rep. Pat Moore and Rep. Adrian Fisher. The Tab-N-Action Save Our Youth initiative is included among the U.S. Housing Urban Development’s list of the 1000 best programs in the USA. The Black Tie Guys is directed by Roosevelt and Joslyn Wright.
