Club FBS is a club "for us by us" created with young Black students in mind. Club FBS provides a safe space for male students to be authentic and unapologetic about being Black. There is a healthy balance of academic rigor, fellowship, and character building. Students feel seen, heard, loved, and accepted when engaging with Club FBS mentors and brothers. I appreciate the in-school and out-of-school opportunities for students to bond and improve upon literacy scores. I have seen students mature and engage in shifting the narrative of Black students in our school system. They deserve to be a part of writing the narrative.

FBS embodies community. FBS is a club founded by Ronald (Mr. Clark), who loves his community, loves our youth, and loves the work he does. It is exhibited in the way he shows up for our youth. I’ve watched over the school year, as our young men have created such a unique and special bond with Mr. Clark. They are always extremely sad when there is no club, and always overly hyped when it is club day.

Mr. Clark has created a club that creates a space for our youth to connect to literature, enjoy reading, and having intentional and powerful conversations. Conversations about who they are as young men, how to make space, and also navigate various spaces in their young lives and into adulthood.

Another aspect of his club that I truly honor is the way he sets up each young man with a mentor from the community. They meet outside of school. Our boys were paired up with their mentors while out on a bowling trip, where they also got to hang out, play arcade games and enjoy food together.

I love the work that FBS has done with our young men and I am so excited for the continued years of community partnership.

Since joining Club FBS, my son's desire to pick up a book for leisure, or pen his own poems, has increased substantially. The literature that he's been introduced to has improved his essay writing, and expanded his creativity, along with his perspective of his place in the world, as a Black man. The safe space provided to the Young Brothers of Club FBS not only promotes emotional awareness, but also psychological and emotional exploration. The students are encouraged to question, and in that questioning, they grow.

The academic standards of the program support scholastic achievement, and Mr. Clark is personally invested in the educational progress of each mentee. The mentorship dinner was a perfect example of Mr. Clark's dedication to students actualizing their potential. Each Club FBS member was paired with a successful Black man, currently working in the field of study that the student is interested in pursuing. Each young Brother was provided with a tangible example of what they can become, as well as a willing resource to aid them in their pursuit to get there. I found the care and effort that went into curating those connections, remarkable.