FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Young Men of Vision Mentoring Program’s Step Team Wins 2nd Place in National Step Dance Competition

Stepping above the odds

St. Louis MO.— 5.30.2021 — WHAT: The Young Men of Vision Mentoring Program’s Step Team (Y.M.O.V.) travelled to Newark, New Jersey to participate in the YouthStep USA National Step Championships over the Memorial Day weekend. The team competed using the 1991 Robert Townsend Movie The Five Heartbeats as a theme and placed second in the national competition. The team and coaches accomplished this amazing feat with less than 90 days of practice. Competing against teams from across the country, some of which, who did not experience the same severity of pandemic lockdown as we in the St. Louis Region experienced.  

Y.M.O.V. is a mentoring program with a nationally ranked and recognized step team. Y.M.O.V. has earned three national championships since being founded in 2010. The program is celebrating 10 years of mentoring and developing middle school young men in the St. Louis region. The Young Men of Vision Mentoring Program (Y.M.O.V.) is the Middle School component and first tier in the three tiered youth organization of Gentlemen of Vision Rites of Passage Enterprises, Inc. Y.M.O.V. was founded in 2010 by Mr. Quintton Williams & Mr. Tedros Solomon on the campus of Westview Middle School in St. Louis, Missouri. Mr. Williams believed that for the continued success of G.O.V. and the overall community that mentorship was needed at a younger age. Over the years as the program developed, so did the program’s need to reach more young men in the community. Y.M.O.V. now serves young men all over the St. Louis area as a community-based organization.

Due to COVID-19, the competition looked much different this year, with masks, screening checks, reduced crowd and venue size. It was an 18-hour bus ride in masks, and all members of the organization were required to have negative COVID tests in order to travel.  The Young Men of Vision are available for interview through July 15. The performance can be seen on line at this link
Melinda Hathaway a Y.M.O.V. parent stated “I really believe Y.M.O.V. Is the best thing that has ever happened for my son. The Coaches and the staff truly cares about each individual boy in the organization.” Y.M.O.V. President and Step team Captain Khaleb “Swizz” Wheeler states “It’s a lot of hard work and it takes a lot of discipline to be on this team, but it’s like my coaches said Everybody wants to be kings, but don’t want to put in King work! Well I want to put in King work”

St. Louis based Formal Wear store, Stallone’s Formal Wear graciously donated the suits for the performance to the organization for the competition.

Police Officer/ Founder and Program Director Quintton Williams stated  “Although the boys wanted to win first place, the opportunity for them to be able to visit times square and compete in a sport that they love, I will go to the ends of the earth to help make that happen for them. I love these kids.”
 Step Team Head Coach Chris Randall stated “I’m proud of the courage, heart and effort these young men displayed over this weekend. The fire and tenacity shown by these guys is something that can’t be described in words. You just have to witness it. It’s amazing, and I’m honored to be a part of their lives.”

The Young Men of Vision are available for interview through July 15. The performance can be seen on line at this link Availability The Young Men of Vision are available for interview through July 15.

The performance can be seen on line at this linkhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5qANMSdktM&t=334s  

YMOV will be celebrating their 10-year celebration with a private banquet at the Boathouse in Carondolet Park on Sunday June 6, 2021 at 3pm. Media outlets are welcome to attend.

For more information, press only: POC: Christopher Randall
Phone number: 314.698.7660
Email: [email protected]
www.ymov2010.org
www.gentelemenofvision.org
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