Story by Communications Intern Dexter Whitby – On June 18, the 100 Black Men of Macon-Middle Georgia took 28 students on a three-day trip to New York City. The organization partners with Bruce Elementary School, and the annual trip is earned by students through their participation throughout the school year.

Throughout the year, members of the 100 Black Men of Macon-Middle Georgia visited Bruce Elementary School to teach lessons on everything from financial literacy to life skills. Students earned “apples” along the way, which qualified them for a trip to the “Big Apple.”

While in New York City, the group attended the 100 Black Men of America National Conference, where the students had the opportunity to meet and connect with other young people from across the country.

Dr. Keith Moffett, Vice President of the Organization, stated that the main goal of the trip was to give the students “exposure.”

During the tour, they visited several locations that are staples of the city. These places included the Statue of Liberty, Times Square, the American Museum of Natural History, Central Park, City Hall, and the 9/11 Memorial.

The trip also coincided with the excitement surrounding the New York Knicks’ first NBA championship since 1973, giving students a chance to experience the city’s celebration firsthand.

“We were able to actually see and feel the essence of New York,” said Dr. Moffett.

The 100 Black Men of Macon-Middle Georgia has been focusing on teaching students how to properly manage and understand finances, so they incorporated that into their field trip.

“One afternoon, they were able to go to Manhattan to the business district to see Wall Street,” said Dr. Moffet. “We were able to explain to them the markets and how that moves.”

In addition, the kids were able to go to Chinatown, a neighborhood in Manhattan where they could negotiate their own finances.

“To see the kids trying to buy souvenirs for themselves and for their family members and actually negotiate with some of the street merchants was actually kind of fun,” Dr. Moffett says, crediting the city for showing them what it is like to make the proper decisions with your finances.

Moffett also added that the children had a great time during the trip. Their favorite moment was watching “The Lion King” on Broadway and they raced to tell their parents about the festivities and fun of the trip.

The main thing the 100 Black Men of Macon-Middle Georgia wanted the kids to take away from this trip, as they returned to Macon, was to be open to new experiences and to share that openness with their families and friends.

The 100 Black Men of Middle Georgia has an ongoing partnership with Bruce Elementary, working with students throughout the year to provide mentorship, life skills, and educational opportunities designed to help them succeed both inside and outside the classroom.

The organization is also a Macon Violence Prevention (MVP) partner and grant recipient, helping implement programs that support youth development, mentorship, and education as part of the community-wide effort to reduce violence and create more opportunities for young people in Macon-Bibb County.

About the Macon Violence Prevention Program

Macon Violence Prevention is an evidence-based, multifaceted program created to address public safety in Macon-Bibb County. Supported and funded by the consolidated government, MVP is a community-wide effort that brings together elected officials, community leaders and representatives from more than 20 agencies, organizations, and departments.

The MVP program operates under the guidance of the MVP Strategic Plan, which was created in June of 2021 by community stakeholders and violent crime experts. The plan combines data and research with community feedback to identify and implement proven solutions that reduce violent crime and strengthen the community over time.

Since its inception, more than $2.5 million has been granted to local nonprofit and community organizations. From 2022 to 2024, the Macon-Bibb homicide rate dropped by 45%, and the youth homicide rate fell by 87% between 2022 and 2024.