Violence Prevention

From City Lights to Starry Nights: BAM Students Build Brotherhood at Camp 

September 18, 2025By

In Chicago, young men often grow up surrounded by invisible boundaries. Rivalries between neighborhoods and schools can keep students apart, creating tension that limits connection. Yet when given safe spaces to come together, those walls can fall away, allowing young men to discover new possibilities and create true brotherhood. 

Last month, 150 students in the Becoming A Man (BAM) program left behind the weight of daily pressures for something new. Through a partnership with Four Star Fellowship and Camp for All Kids, they spent a week in Wisconsin at Camp Timberlane and Camp North Star, surrounded by trees, lakes, and starry skies instead of sirens and streetlights. For many, it was their first time leaving the city and their first time experiencing camp. 

Activities that build more than skills 

The days were filled with canoeing, biking, swimming, fishing, hiking, archery, riflery, and rock-climbing. Each activity pushed students outside their comfort zones while teaching teamwork, trust, and resilience. One student admitted, “I’m scared of swimming, but this summer, I faced my fears and jumped right in.” 

Evenings often turned into hours-long check-ins around the campfire, where students reflected on fear, trust, and what it meant to finally feel safe enough to open up. One shared, “It made me feel welcomed and not having no worries about back home.” Another added,

“This trip brought me a lot of fun and peace that I haven’t had in a long time.” 

Brotherhood across schools and backgrounds 

Camp brought together young men who, in the city, might never have spoken due to school rivalries or neighborhood divides. In nature, those walls came down. Students shared technology-free mealtimes, prayed with one another before eating, and leaned on each other during team activities. 

For many immigrant students, some speaking Spanish as their first language, camp offered a rare chance to feel fully included. With translation and encouragement, they built trust and began to find their voices. 

At one point, a misunderstanding sparked conflict among the students. In Chicago, that moment might have escalated into a fight. But at camp, BAM counselor Jonathan Hill guided the group through reflection and dialogue. Students paused to collect their thoughts, share their perspectives, and practice respect for one another. What could have been divisive instead became a moment of connection, deepening trust across the group. 

As Jonathan put it, “It was powerful to see them choose communication over confrontation.” One camper captured the spirit of the week even more simply: “It made me feel like I had another family. 

Why this matters for BAM youth 

BAM is more than a school-based program. It is a proven model for violence prevention and character development. It equips young men with the skills to pause before reacting, to resolve conflict with words instead of fists, and to build safe communities across lines that too often divide. 

At camp, students had the chance to put BAM’s lessons into practice. They discovered that joy can be found in canoe rides, late-night conversations, and moments of trust. For one student, camp became the first place he felt safe enough to take off his shirt in public, a small act that marked a major leap in self-confidence. His counselor has already noticed him walking into the new school year with greater pride and presence. 

The confidence and conflict-resolution skills built at camp don’t stay behind in Wisconsin. They travel home with students into their schools, neighborhoods, and families, multiplying the impact of one week far beyond the summer. 

Made possible through partnership and support 

This opportunity was possible because of those who believe in BAM’s mission, including our partners at Four Star Fellowship and Camp for All Kids, and the supporters who invest in programs that change lives. Because of supporters like you, opportunities like summer camp are possible for young men who might never otherwise leave the city. 

Because of that support, BAM students, experienced what it means to step out of city pressures and into possibility. They came home with new friendships, stronger confidence, and a blueprint for peace they can carry into their schools, families, and communities. 

As counselor Jonathan Hill put it, “It’s not about surviving. It’s about being present and being grateful for the moment.” 

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Programs

Breaking the Cycle: Jorge Alvarez’s Journey from Chaos to Hope

January 21, 2025By

Jorge Alvarez’s story begins in the streets of Los Angeles, where his childhood was anything but ordinary. Raised in a household entangled in cartel activity, violence was a constant companion. “I remember being three or four and seeing a stabbing at Christmas,” Jorge recalls. “Violence was so normalized that I didn’t even realize how wrong it was until I stepped away from it.”

Amid the chaos, Jorge struggled to cope. His pain manifested in defiance, fighting, and frequent disruptions at school. By 14, his behavior led to expulsion from the Los Angeles Unified School District, sending him on a turbulent journey through alternative education programs. Yet, amidst the turmoil, a lifeline appeared.

The Foster Family That Changed Everything

When Jorge entered foster care, he was placed with an African American family whose influence would change the trajectory of his life. “They had family dinners, went to church, and never fought. It was the first time I realized what a healthy family dynamic could look like,” he reflects. This newfound stability introduced Jorge to the concept of a future beyond mere survival. 

“BAM is about giving these boys the tools to become the men they want to be—not the men their circumstances might have predestined them to become.”

— Jorge Alvarez, BAM Supervisor

Determined to rewrite his story, Jorge faced daunting challenges. After aging out of the foster care system, he pursued his high school diploma through an adult education program in Calexico, California, while simultaneously working toward a psychology degree at the University of Mexico. The journey wasn’t easy—Jorge endured grueling four-hour treks in blistering heat and stayed with various family members to make it happen. 

Finding Purpose in Helping Others

His perseverance paid off. Armed with a degree and a determination to help others, Jorge became a certified addiction counselor, dedicating 13 years to working with individuals battling substance abuse. His clients ranged from students in probation schools to undercover officers grappling with addiction. Yet, the emotional toll of the work eventually became too much. 

“I realized I couldn’t keep going,” Jorge says. Searching for a new way to make an impact, he found Youth Guidance’s Becoming a Man (BAM) program in Los Angeles. As a BAM supervisor, Jorge now mentors young men in underserved communities, helping them break free from cycles of adversity he once experienced. 

“BAM is about giving these boys the tools to become the men they want to be—not the men their circumstances might have predestined them to become,” Jorge explains. His approach blends empathy with wisdom gained from his own experiences. “I see parts of myself in so many of them. It’s my mission to be the mentor I needed at their age.”

The BAM program focuses on group mentoring, teaching emotional regulation, decision-making, and fostering healthy relationships. For many students, it’s their first exposure to a space where vulnerability is celebrated rather than stigmatized. “These young men often feel they have to carry the weight of the world on their shoulders. BAM shows them there’s strength in asking for help,” Jorge says. 

Breaking Cycles, Building Futures

Today, Jorge works in the same neighborhoods where he once struggled, serving as a powerful example of what’s possible with the right support. His connection to the students goes beyond surface-level mentorship. Through shared experiences, he helps them navigate challenges with compassion and understanding. 

“I tell my students, ‘Your story doesn’t end here. You can change it. You have the power to write a new chapter,” Jorge says. His work is more than a job; it’s a calling rooted in his own journey of transformation. 

Jorge Alvarez’s life underscores the transformative impact of mentorship. Through his work with BAM, he is not only changing the lives of young men but also reshaping the fabric of his community. “This is my purpose,” Jorge says. “This is how I make sense of everything I’ve been through.”

As Jorge looks to the future, his mission remains clear: to give young men the tools, guidance, and hope they need to break cycles of adversity and create lives of purpose and integrity. In doing so, he is rewriting his own story—and helping others do the same.

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