In its 11th year, men from various locations in Baltimore on Tuesday lined up outside the Baltimore Collegiate School for Boys to fulfill a ritual: Giving students “welcome back” handshakes.
Per WBAL-TV, the students who reported for the first day of school received special handshakes as they made their way into the educational facility. The reason behind that tradition is to let young men know that they are capable of achieving success, and there are community members who believe in them.
“We talk about, you know, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. So, we try to talk to the boys about how they present themselves,” Edwin Avent, the school’s CEO, said.
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“Making sure their shirts are tucked in, their pants, they’re wearing a belt, they’re wearing shoes. We always encourage that for our boys here, but now they get to see these professional men. We say, ‘See, this is how they dress, and that’s what we’re trying to encourage you to do.”
The boys were greeted by men including the City State’s Attorney Ivan Bates.
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