If you see a lot more young boys wearing neck ties locally, it may have to do with the recent Chowan Middle School's annual Guys With Ties event.
A necktie can take a few attempts to get right. Adults often miss the length line-up of wide and narrow ends of the tie and must begin again. At Chowan Middle School's "Tied for Success: Knot Your Average Workshop," that was part of the lesson.
Principal Brittney Lopez welcomed the students and mentors and explained the day's activities.
Tie tying mentors from the Chowan County Sheriff's Office, the Edenton Police Department, the Chamber of Commerce, the Edenton-Chowan School Board, Regulator Marine, Colony Tire along with representatives from the Elizabeth City Alumni Chapter, Kappa Alpha PSI.
Assistant Principal Carisa Copeland also took part in the program, and school counselor Chris Gilliam introduced guest speaker Dan Moreno, youth pastor at Ballard's Bridge Baptist Church and an Army veteran.
Moreno urged students to think about the choices they make when no one is watching. Small decisions, repeated over time, help shape a person's character, he said.
"Character isn't a destination you reach. It's a muscle that you build over time," Moreno told the students.
He used the challenge of tying a knot to make a point about perseverance. A tie may come out too short, too long or tangled on the first attempt. The response is to take it apart and try again.
"Success doesn't come from being perfect the first time. It comes from taking a deep breath and starting over," he said.
Local mentors helped students learn different knots and offered tips on professional dress. The workshop also gave students a chance to ask questions and talk with mentors about lessons they had learned growing up. One mentor, Nasim Hunt a former student at the school who previously participated in Guys with Ties as a student, returned last week as a mentor representing Regulator Marine.
The mentoring initiative uses positive role models, conversation and community support to help young men build confidence and leadership skills. Its program describes a tie as a symbol of character, responsibility and readiness for opportunity.
Along with a tie, students took home a lesson in character, responsibility while getting a glimpse of volunteer community service from the highly respected mentors.
