Developing Young Men, Young Leaders (formally Healthy Choices Healthy Relationships) is designed to train and develop the minds of students to overcome obstacles that hinder success. 

In school and everyday life, the challenges are clear. Young people must develop the necessary habits and practices that produce desired results. Successful students inside and outside of school know that a strong, well-developed mindset is required for maintaining their upward mobility and steadily improving performance. 

These habits once developed will be applicable in the classroom, in the workplace, in relationships, in the home and in their community. Enrichment programs today are constantly challenged by the need to cultivate an environment in which students together think creatively, practically, and purposefully. The goal of Developing Young Men, Young Leaders is to generate the best results possible both inside and outside of school. 

The goal of Developing Young Men, Young Leaders is to provide high school male students during 9th to 12th grades with the opportunity to study their own lives and behaviors to get an enlightened sense of self. 

We know that self-discovery coupled with behavior changes lead to self-approval and self-commitment. We believe that this approach will result in small incremental changes in the following five areas:

1. Improved student attendance at school
2. Decreased negative behavioral incidents in school and community
3. Improved student socio-emotional development (includes self-confidence, self-esteem, collaboration, and empathy)
4. Improved student academic achievement (including critical & creative thinking, engagement in classroom, expression, grades, and test scores)
5.  Increased ability to enter the workforce prepared for beginning careers, upward mobility, and earning a living wage
   
   

Beyond the DYMYL Program
After our DYMYL young men graduate from high school, they will become DYMYL alumni. As alumni, they can continue to participate in our DYMYL career and workplace readiness activities. They will also have opportunities to participate in other workforce development and certification programs at The Father Center, like Bridges2Success, Skills to Prosper, Dress2Impress, Computer Literacy, and other programs. We believe that the DYMYL Program prepares our young men to be productive, capable, responsible, and caring citizens and future fathers.

Recruitment and selection of students for the program takes place in August.