Our Story
Founded in 2010 by Emmanuel Jones, Mentor2Youth began as a small after-school program on the south side of Ypsilanti. While still a student at Eastern Michigan University, Jones envisioned a program focused on tutoring, mentorship, and career planning. In October 2019, Darryl Johnson took the helm as executive director, introducing the innovative Raising Royalty curriculum, which uses chess as a strategic framework for personal development. Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, Mentor2Youth remains dedicated to closing the achievement gap for Ypsilanti students and expanding its reach to serve elementary, middle, and high school students of all genders through various programs.