This week, Westchester County Executive Robert P. Astorino met with 36 youngsters who participate in the Boys to Men Mentoring Group at Cecil Parker Elementary School, a public school in Mt Vernon.

Astorino answered questions about everything from how county government works and what it’s like to take the oath of office, to why he’s a fan of the Miami Dolphins. When asked about his work in radio, Astorino told the boys how an extended teenage illness interrupted his athletic pursuits, but put him on a path to his career in broadcasting when he started announcing Westlake High School football games.

During the session, the county executive urged the boys to work hard in school, to think for themselves, and to know that there is nothing they can’t accomplish.
“Don’t let anybody tell you that you can’t something,” Astorino told the group. “I know you hear this all the time, but it’s true: If you work hard, treat people kindly and believe in yourself, the sky’s the limit.”

The Boys to Men Mentoring Group is a program teaching participating students discipline, proper classroom behavior and socialization. Through the mentoring program, the young boys, in grades 2 to 5, regularly meet with role models from business, government, education and the arts who talk about their life experience in hopes of being a positive influence on the boys’ lives.

The boys each received a certificate from the county executive for their participation in the program.