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Parental Role Models

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By LENORA LAKE

llake@tampatrib.com

Published: January 7, 2009

UNIVERSITY AREA - Some Brooks-DeBartolo Collegiate High parents have agreed to take a portion of the school's students "under their wings" in an effort to show them positive behaviors.

Principal Phildra Swagger asked about 20 parents attending a recent Get Involved luncheon for help to improve the school's 250 students' manners, language and demeanor. She said some do not have fathers in their lives and others do not know basic courtesy such as saying please and thank you.

"I need you dads to mentor, to talk to, to pray with, to redirect some of these young boys to become young men," she told about five men at the Dec. 30 gathering at the school at 11602 N. 15th St. "All 250 have the seed but not all have been nourished."
Swagger also asked the mothers attending to help with female students who don't understand the inappropriateness of public displays of affection and other behaviors.

Parent Mike McDaniel, who co-chairs the Parent Advisory Council with his wife, Bonnie, agreed to help organize the effort with the male students.

"I envision just sitting and talking with them," McDaniel said after the meeting. "I want them to understand 'what is a man.'"

He said the fathers would focus on "developing character, conducting yourself in a manly way and how to treat a girlfriend or lady."

Parent Sheila Harris, who teaches etiquette courses, agreed to oversee a program for the female students. Harris hopes to start an etiquette and leadership club.

"I would like to tie it into their events, such as the prom, and work on public speaking and presentation," she said.

Although the students wear uniforms at school, "they need to think about what they look like when they take those uniforms off," Harris said.

Tribune correspondent Lenora Lake can be reached at (813) 865-4851.

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