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Baltimore, Maryland
2005
Bernard Fayall worked with his hands for 27 years as a Baltimore shipyard welder. Today, he uses a hands-on approach to help hundreds of young students stay in school and navigate difficult adolescent years. His "Meet Me Halfway" center in Garrison Middle School in Baltimore provides a safe, nurturing place for students to receive guidance, work through conflicts, find tutoring help or just hang out and snack on ice cream or popcorn.
Many of the students who flock to the center come from families hit hard by drugs, and they look for support from Fayall and other adults who help out at the center. Fayall, a grandfather himself who lives in the community near the school, makes it a point to give his home phone number to the young people in case they need his help. And the kids aren't shy about calling him day and night. "I live in the community," he says. "These are my kids, too."
Despite the overwhelming problems that many of the students face, Fayall remains upbeat about helping them. "Each child who comes through that program knows they're a valuable part of society. I want them to know they're worth a lot," he says.
