Men and Ladies of Honor Celebrate 16 Year Anniversary

(ROCKWALL, TX – Feb. 22, 2019) More than 250 volunteers, students, teachers, administrators, alumni, parents, sponsors and supporters gathered to celebrate the 16-year-anniversary of The Men and Ladies of Honor with keynote speaker Lt. Col. Allen West.

The endeavor began in 2003 when Founder and Executive Director Tony Rorie, then a principal in a Pleasant Grove charter school, as a means to proactively address the ongoing behavior issues of students at the school with a common factor—boys without a father at home. 

Rorie received permission from the students’ mothers to begin keeping them after school, teaching them the basics of chivalry, respectable, godly manhood, honesty, integrity and perseverance. By the time the semester was over, the group of four grew to fifty, and the campus experienced a significant increase in attendance, grades and test scores, with disciplinary rates being reduced by half.  With such extraordinary results, he was encouraged to initiate the program on the other two campuses of the charter school district, and received the same astounding results.  

 

The program has since been replicated successfully in every demographic, from private schools to public schools, across the United States, and into thirteen countries.

 

“School administrators are intrigued by the results,” explained Rorie about the draw of the faith-based program for school administrators and city leaders from many walks of life. “Where there is a change of heart, and a desire to do what is right, that benefits everyone.”

 

Community leader support was evident in the turnout, with attendance by members ofMesquite, Rowlett and Garland city councils, as well as officials from Greenville ISD, where the program was most recently launched with great success. The Men and Ladies of Honor has already met its 2020 goal of launching on every middle school campus in Mesquite ISD, most recently at Frasier, the new middle school, which had a record turnout 421 students the first day.

 

The weekly character education classes are Bible-based, emphasizing a strong code of honor and leadership development. Volunteers from the community and local churches donate their time and energy to mentor the groups of students they lead, encouraging and inspiring them to make better choices, to focus on the future, and do everything with excellence.

 

The program provides official program shirts to the students, leadership curriculum in an appealing magazine-format, snacks, awards, transportation, and an annual trip to a weekend camp. Neither the schools nor the students’ families are charged to participate, and it is open to all students. The activities and materials are fully funded by the generosity of corporate and individual sponsors who have decided to invest in the next generation by taking an active role in ensuring they are fully equipped to live, work, and lead with honor.

 

“We want to thank all of our event sponsors, whose generosity will support the rollout to all the new schools this year, and additional launches ahead,” said Rorie. “By supporting The Men and Ladies of Honor, they are directly investing in the future of our communities—our future workforce, our future pastors, teachers, doctors and nurses, city leaders. Every facet of our daily lives is affected by whether or not people embrace honor and live their lives with responsibility, compassion and character—that’s what Christlike honor looks like.”

 

Event sponsors for the 2019 Honor Gala:

Dallas Regional Medical Center

Ivy League Realty/Terry & April Ivie

Table Sponsors: Cornerstone Staffing, Greenville ISD, Lakepointe Church Town East, Mike’s Masonry, Mike Mazyck Realty, Milestone Electric, Titan Securities, Vital Storm, Christian Men’s Network, Lam Technology. 

Photo Sponsor: Rowlett Chamber Foundation

Awards Sponsors: Glenda Matchett, JWN Relocations and Salser Development Group

 

For more information, visit www.honorministries.org

Submitted press release for publication in Blue Ribbon News. 

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