September
10th-12th, 2010

•National Youth Leadership Summit will be held Friday, September 10th - Sunday, September 12th at the National 4-H Youth Conference Center in DC. This event is sponsored by the HHS Healthy Relationships/Healthy Marriage grant. An expert guest speaker panel and a video presentation from "Look Before You Leap" is planned. There will also be a dance for leadership students on Saturday night. Some topics to be addressed at the summit include: Benefits of Healthy Relationships and Marriage, Drugs and Alcohol, Dating Violence, and AIDs and STDs. Contact Jon Carter at (202) 478-9677 for details.

Attention New Ninth Graders! You are invited to attend.
Participation in the Best Men and Diamond Girl Leadership programs gives high school students a chance to apply for a college scholarship. The programs provide information to help students be successful in high school and have healthy relationships. They learn how to avoid the risks to successful and happy life.

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Past Events

•The 2010 Foundation Annual Fundraising Event was held Thursday evening May 13th at the Four Seasons Hotel in Washington, DC. Please go to the event web page to view details.

•The Best Men Health and Fitness Day was a great success!
sp306 attend.
The event was attended by 256 Best Men in middle school and 50 Best Men Leadership high school students. Health and Fitness Day featured a basketball tournament and was held at Georgetown Prep High School. We are very grateful to Father George and Jeff Jones of Georgetown Prep for hosting and helping with this event. Congratulations to Best Men staff Danny Flynn, Jon Carter and Kevin Kistler. Staff members Pauline Hamlette, Rita Burns and Robin Williams were also involved in managing this successful event.
The leadership students attended a one hour curriculum session on victimization and how
to report domestic violence. They were joined by thirty 9th and 10 graders for a guided curriculum session and discussion. This was an excellent day in which nearly 80 high school boys learned the domestic violence protocol and to recognize the signs of victimization.

September 11-13, 2009

•The 2009 Best Friends Foundation National Youth Leadership Summit
was held September 11th—13th at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, DC.
See a .pdf of the newsletter for this event, "The Leader."

•Best Friends Foundation National Training Conference
Marriott Wardman Park Hotel
2660 Woodley Road, NW
Washington, DC 20015

For additonal Training Conference and Luncheon information contact:
Ann Goldsmith at 202-478-9677
agoldsmith@bestfriendsfoundation.org

February 7, 2009

•Best Men Health and Fitness Day – February 7, 2009
Boys and Girls Club – The Arc
1901 Mississippi Avenue, SE, Washington, DC
9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
For additional information contact:
Mark Johnson or Jon Carter at 202-478-9677
mjohnson@bestfriendsfoundation.org
jcarter@bestfriendsfoundation.org

•Holiday Party - December 13, 2008
The Holiday Party for Best Friends and Best Men mentors and the College Council students was held on Saturday, December 13th at Catholic University. Christmas came early for the Metropolitan Leadership Choir, Best Men Leadership Step Team, and Diamond Girl Leadership Dance Troupe as they performed at the Angel for a Day celebration on the campus of Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. Approximately 500 children from area schools enjoyed a fun-filled afternoon of carols, games, and activities. A highlight was a Secret Santa room where approximately 1000 toys were distributed.

Sponsored by the DC Young Men’s Leadership Team, the fifth annual holiday event brought smiles to the faces of all who attended. Special guest Bishop Martin D. Holley of the Archdiocese of Washington DC commended the young people for their hard work and spirit of service and expressed his gratitude to those who “gave so generously of their time and effort to provide such joy and hope to the young children.”

•2008 Best Friends Foundation National Youth Leadership Summit - September 5-7
was held Friday, September 5th through Sunday, September 7th at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, DC. On Saturday, a luncheon and panel discussion with distinguished guests was led by Elayne Bennett and Carol Platt Liebau, author of Prude: How The Sex Obsessed Culture Damages Girls.

This is the 3rd year of our Stop the Madness panel on the importance of healthy relationships and prevention of alcohol and drug use, sex, and violence among adolescents.  The panel included community leaders from the Metro D.C. area who share a concern for today’s youth.  The panel discussion was followed by a production of Make Music Not Madness, which aims to promote among our youth “music” activities which enrich, inspire and uplift instead of “madness” activities which degrade, depress and lead to danger.
See more information.

John Walters

Melba Moore

•Youth Leadership Summit - July 22-25, 2007

Washington, DC – Youth and adult mentors from Washington, DC and across the nation participated in the Best Friends Foundation’s third annual National Youth Leadership Summit – Today’s Leaders, Tomorrow’s Future at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel, July 22-25, 2007.  Over 150 youth leaders attended this national leadership summit to hear from presenters and engage in discussions that address the current state of youth.  Each youth leader gained a greater knowledge on how to avoid violence, drugs, alcohol and premarital sex, as well as listened to presentations on college/career prep and financial planning. 

Summit Highlights:
John Walters, Director of The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, spoke to youth leaders from around the country during a keynote luncheon address: “The Current State of Adolescent Drug Use.”

“Stop The Madness,” panel discussion. Experts discussed issues and solutions regarding adolescent risk behavior.  Panelists included The Honorable Robert Flores, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention; Dr. David Murray, Chief Scientist for Counter-Drug Technology Assessment Center, Office of National Drug Control Policy; Jose Dominguez, Director of Grants Administration, DC Children and Youth Investment Trust Corporation; Tyrone C. Parker, Co-founder and Executive Director of Alliance for Concerned Men; Beverly Watts Davis, Senior Advisor on Substance Abuse Policy, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA); and Seth Leibsohn, Producer of William Bennett’s “Morning In America” radio show.  Best Friends Foundation Founder and President, Elayne Bennett, served as moderator.

Best Friends Foundation’s student musical production, “Make Music Not Madness,” with special guest appearance by acclaimed singer and actress Melba Moore, most recognized for making history as Luttiebelle in the Broadway production “Purlie,” and becoming the first black actress to win a Tony Award for Best Supporting Actress.

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• DC Recognition Ceremony - May 11, 2007, Washington, DC - Marriott Wardman Park Hotel . This ceremony recognized the achievements of the DC Best Men and Best Men Leadership, Best Friends, Diamond Girls Leadership, and the dedication of their school principals, coordinators, parents and teacher mentors. Guest speakers were Will A. Gunn, President and CEO Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington and George Sanker, Principal Hope Community Charter School. The audience was treated to special performances from Make Music Not Madness.

DC 2007 Essay Winners:

Best Men 5th Grade Charles 6th Grade Chizobu 7th Grade Stephon 8th Grade Musa Best Men Leadership - Dominique   Pauline Hamlette, Director of Programs