Gentlemen of Vision Rites of Passage Enterprises Inc

Gentlemen of Vision Rites of Passage Enterprises, Inc. (G.O.V.) was founded in 2009 by Mr. Marlon Wharton and the late Mr. Paul Albea in St. Louis, Missouri. Mr. Wharton believes there is a lack of counseling, academics, mentoring, and experiential programming that specialize in fostering manhood among young males that would curtail the increasing dropout rate.

The Gentlemen of Vision Rites of Passage Enterprises, Inc. is a community-based program currently servicing males from various school districts within the St. Louis Metropolitan Area. The organization has an impeccable 100 percent high school graduation and college admission/retention rate! Since 2009, every member has successfully completed high school and accepted into a college, university, trade school or the U.S. Military. In addition to servicing high school members, G.O.V. has extended its services to elementary, middle school and Collegiate aged members.

Young Men of Vision Y.M.O.V. Grades 6th/7th/8th
Y.M.O.V. engages middle school males in positive social and academic programs to ensure that all members will be socially and academically prepared for the high school level. Y.M.O.V. is built on four core concepts that are instilled in each of its members through the values of discipline, leadership, and teamwork. The four Core Concepts of Y.M.O.V. are Academic Performance, Brotherhood/Unity, Community Service and Discipline/Attitude.

Boys of Vision Grades 3rd/4th/5th
B.O.V. engages elementary school males (3rd-5th grade) in fun and positive programs to ensure that all members will be socially and academically prepared for the Middle School level. BOV positively engages with the boys through traveling nationwide for step performances, experiential activities, and brotherhood events.

The mission of the Gentlemen of Vision Rites of Passage Enterprises, Inc. is to prepare disadvantaged males to successfully complete high school through demonstrating superior leadership skills, academic excellence, community service, and career readiness in order to successfully transition into higher education or trade. The leadership staff is comprised of black males who hold several post graduate degrees, specializations in Counseling, Military experience, and public service.

Our GOAL
The Gentlemen of Vision organization was created to curtail the dropout rate among "proven-risk" high school males. In Missouri, the Black male graduation rate is 65.7%. To date, G.O.V. members have maintained a 100% graduation rate since the organization's inception in 2009. Thus the motto "Changing the lives of young men, one statistic at a time".

The Gentlemen of Vision Rites of Passage Enterprises, Inc. (GOV), a 501(c) (3) not-for-profit organization, does not and shall not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, creed, or national origin.