The Brotherhood aims to keep Black students on track in and out of classroom

Smoky Hill High School junior Nathan Tann never thought he'd be a leader. In fact, there were times in his young life when he questioned whether he'd even graduate from high school.

Now 16, Tann not only knows he'll graduate, but that he'll do it with flying colors.

Tann's journey to leadership and maturity didn't exactly get off on the right foot. Growing up on Denver's east side, known for gang and drug activity, he said it was hard for him to stay focused.

"When I was younger, we went through a lot of family problems," Tann said. "I lacked leadership, discipline and support in some areas."

Prior to entering Smoky Hill in fall 2005, Tann was in special education classes, and his GPA was at a meager 1.67. Without much motivation and guidance, he knew his future was looking bleak.

Fast-forward 14 months and enter Smoky Hill math teacher Bill Richardson.

At the beginning of Tann's sophomore year, one of his best friends approached him with news that the school, under the direction of Richardson, was starting a new club that consists of about 80 members and is targeted to all African-American male students at the school. The Brotherhood's mission is to help its members stay on track academically by providing support in the way of study groups, mentor sessions with Richardson and weekly meetings.

Although the idea sounded good, Tann admits he was skeptical after finding out that Richardson, a former Overland High School math teacher, would be the sponsor.

"(When a friend told me) I was like whoa ... we're black and he's white," Tann said. "It caught me off guard. But I went home and talked to my mom about it and we came to the conclusion that he was a blessing. He had the heart and the guts to step out there and do something for another race."

Richardson may not agree that he's a 'blessing,' but he recognizes the importance of what this group means.

"We knew we were starting something special," Richardson said. "The kids like to describe it as a big family."

This big family, as Richardson states, isn't about race, although at first, he knew his might be an obstacle.

"I know I'm white, but I got the heart for it," he said.

Instead, The Brotherhood is about empowering young people to take charge of their lives and become role models, Richardson said. The club has had guests, including Cherry Creek School District board member Claudine McDonanld, speak at some of their weekly meetings. In addition, they hang out with one another, playing basketball and football, and are planning on seeing the movie The Great Debaters as a group.

The group prides itself on setting a positive example and doing its part to shoot down the stereotypes that hang over the heads of young African-American males.

"We look at the achievement gap. They're motivated by the stats that describe the way things are right now," Richardson said. "The kids realize there's a lot of pressure within their own community to do well."

Considering the long hours and dedication to the group, Richardson credits former Smoky Hill teacher and current Harvard University assistant track coach Jeremey Gee with helping form the group at Smoky Hill. Gee was a member of a similar group, The Brothers, while attending high school in San Diego, and after graduating from college, he was offered a teaching job at Smoky Hill.

Sharing an office together for a year, Gee and Richardson talked frequently, especially about lowering the achievement gap, which refers to the disparity on a number of educational measures between the performance of groups of students, especially those defined by gender, ethnicity, ability and socioeconomic status.

"Bill's one of those guys who's like 'We have to stop talking and start doing,' " Gee said.

Gee shared his experiences with The Brothers with Richardson, and from there, Richardson was hooked on starting a group at Smoky Hill.

Gee calls the group "amazing."

"It doesn't surprise me at all how well it's doing because I know Bill and how passionate he is about it."

The idea of bringing the freshmen in and starting them off right away (is important), Gee said.

"You may not see the results for four years, but when they show up, it's going to make a difference in these guys' lives," he said.

For Tann, the difference is already apparent. Since joining The Brotherhood, he has attained a 3.0 GPA and has been moved from the special education program into regular classes, proving to himself that he could make his life a success.

"The two best words in the English language are 'things change,' "Tann said.

The Brotherhood expects to have an effect on every school in Colorado, hopefully by helping them start their own chapters of The Brotherhood.

"Communication is our biggest challenge," Richardson said. "We're trying to build a model that can be duplicated at any school in the country."

To read more about Nathan Tann, click here.