During the period around 500-600 B.C. Pythagoras was considered the greatest scientist. Most of his life was spent traveling, studying the

accumulated wisdom of the ancient world. His knowledge and wisdom lead to an academy knows as the Pythagorean Brotherhood.

State of Indiana

Sponsored by The M.W. Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Indiana

Mission and Purpose

• Mission – The Knights of Pythagoras is a youth organization dedicated to the Fatherhood of God and the Universal Brotherhood of Man.

• Purpose – Targeted at young African American boys between the ages of ten (10) and eighteen (18) to help them develop into young men the program promotes family values, provide educational scholarships, and play a significant role in the uplifting of humanity.

Statewide StructureGrand

Advisory Council

R.W. Director of Youth Activities

Calumet District Youth Supervisor

Central District Youth Supervisor

Local Advisory Councils

Advisors

Order of Pythagorans

Chapters

Assistant District Youth Supervisor

Local Advisory Councils

Advisors

Order of Pythagorans

Chapters

Assistant District Youth Supervisor

North centralYouth Supervisor

NorthernYouth Supervisor

South EasternYouth Supervisor

South CentralYouth Supervisor

EasternYouth Supervisor

South WesternYouth Supervisor

Local AdvisoryCouncils

Local AdvisoryCouncils

Local AdvisoryCouncils

Local AdvisoryCouncils

Local AdvisoryCouncils

Local Advisory Councils

Assistant DistrictYouth Supervisor

Assistant DistrictYouth Supervisor

Assistant DistrictYouth Supervisor

Assistant DistrictYouth Supervisor

Assistant DistrictYouth Supervisor

Assistant DistrictYouth Supervisor

Advisors Advisors Advisors Advisors Advisors Advisors

Order of Pythagorans

Chapters

Order ofPythagorans

Chapters

Order ofPythagorans

Chapters

Order ofPythagorans

Chapters

Order ofPythagorans

Chapters

Order ofPythagorans

Chapters

M.W. Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Indiana

8 Districts

34 Lodges

Councils & Chapters• Grand Advisory Council – is chaired by the R.W. Director of

Youth Activities and consist of Grand Advisors, District Youth Supervisors, Assistant District Youth Supervisors, Grand Advisory Council Treasurer, Financial Secretary and Chaplain.

• Local Advisory Council – is chaired by the Advisor, who must be a Master Mason and consist of an Assistant Advisor. Each Council must secure a minimum of six African American Adult Males to serve as mentors to the Order of Pythagorans.

• Chapter – works under the sponsorship and personal supervision of Prince Hall Masons to provide beneficial worthwhile companions, wholesome educational environment and a program aiming to interact and aid youth in their all-around development.

Chapters• Consists of a minimum of

one tribe that includes an adult leader (must be a master mason), one peer leader 16 – 24 years of age, and five youth ages 10 – 18 years of age. The adult leader serves as mentor to the peer leader, and ensures that each of the remaining five youth are assigned a mentor. A chapter may consist of multiple tribes based upon its capacity.

Adult Leader

Peer Leader

Youth &

Mentor

Youth &

Mentor

Youth &

Mentor

Youth &

Mentor

Youth &

Mentor

A Tribe

Chapter Advisor(30 hours per month)

• Qualifications– Must be 36 years of age or older– Must be a Master Mason– Within one year must complete 40 hour ROP Trainer’s Training.– Minimum three year commitment

• Duties– Facilitates the chapter program and fundraising activities.– Ensures appropriate documentation of program records.– Work adult leaders in coordinating the development of the chapter.– Attend and arrange for various meetings and other program activities.– Serve on Local Advisory Council and completed necessary reports.– Meet with parents and mentor at least once per month.– Coordinate speakers for weekly roundtables– Plan specific activities for annual calendar including field trips, community and

spiritual activities.– Recruit and facilitate the training of Adult Leaders and mentors.– Engage parents support and engagement in the program.– Conduct and/or ensures Rites of Passage and Making the Grade sessions are held

weekly.

Role ModelsAdult Leader(20 hours per month)

• Qualifications– Must be 25 years of age or

older & background check– Must be a Master Mason– First year must complete 40

hour ROP Trainer’s Training.– Minimum three year

commitment

• Duties– Ensure each youth is

assigned a mentor– Assist in conducting the

chapter program and fundraising activities.

– Ensures appropriate documentation of tribes program records.

– Work one on one with peer leader in coordinating the development of the tribe.

– Attend and arrange for various meetings and other program activities.

– Regular meet with Chapter Advisor

– Meet with parents and mentor at least once per month.

Mentor (10 hours per month)

• Qualifications– Must be 25 years of age or

older & background check– Member of the lodge– During first year must

complete 16 hour ROP Mentor Training

– Minimum one year commitment.

• Duties– One on one mentoring to a

mentee– Contact mentee at least

twice per week, once in person.

– Contact parent at least twice per month.

– Attend roundtable meetings– Document engagement

with youth.– Participate in monthly field

trips and other program activities.

– Attend mentor council meeting at least once per month.

– Attend monthly church visit.

Peer Leader(20 hours per month)

• Qualifications– Must be 16 - 24 years of age &

positive role model – High School/college student

with 2.5 g.p.a. or better. – Must have completed at least

two years of ROP training.– Minimum one year

commitment.

• Duties– Interacts twice a week with

each of the mentees– Ensures mentees attendance

at activities.– Serves as liaison between

mentees and advisor.– Assist in organizing roundtable

meetings and delivery of program sessions

– Maintains records of participation for each member of the tribe.

– Attend and assist in planning and coordinating field trips and other program activities.

– Meet with other peer leaders at least once per month.

CalendarWeekly (3 hours)

• Making the Grade – one hour session that address skills in the content areas of math, language arts, reading, etc.

• Rites of Passage – once hour session that reunites youth with the origins of their peoples’ culture.

• Roundtable, one hour session that allow participants to discuss relevant issues of today with mentors and/or community leaders.

Monthly (6 hours)• Community Activity – two hours that brings

together parents, mentors, elders and students to interact in a community activity or event.

• Spiritual Activity – visit to church, temple, mosque, etc. to foster introspection into the nature and origin of self.

• Field Trip – Outing with youth for either recreational or educational objective.

Quarterly (2 hours)• Ceremony – recognizes the progress and

achievement of youth held at either local church, school or community center depending upon the nature of the ceremony.

Annually• January – conduct community service

project associated with Rev. Martin Luther King celebration.

• February – conduct Recognition of local African American Male leaders that made significant contribution.

• March – Visit Black Institutions such s colleges, museums, etc.

• April – Third Sunday Black Youth Day celebration.

• May – Parent Recognition each chapter is requested to have special meeting for this purpose.

• June - Annual Program and Financial Reports submitted. African American Male Teen Summit held.

• July - Rites of Passage Annual Training Conference and State Assemblage.

• August – Career Day • September – Visit to local, county, state

government councils.• October – Membership Drive• November – community service project –

seniors in nursing homes, etc.• December – community service project –

feeding program, Christmas baskets, etc.

Developing A Chapter• Identify interest and capacity of the local lodge.• Based upon interest and capacity determine if local lodge needs to

partner with other lodge(s) to formulate a chapter.• Identify local youth service organization that provide mentoring

services to target age group.• Based upon interest and capacity discuss how local lodge can work

with local youth organization to provide mentors as volunteers.• Develop a memorandum of understanding with local youth service

organization outlining their role and local lodge role in providing mentoring services.

• Assess effectiveness, commitment, and capacity of lodge and local youth service organization ability to deliver mutually agreed upon services, 30 days, 90 days, 6 months, and annually thereafter.

• Based upon 6 month assessment determine lodge capacity to formulate a Order of Pythagoras Chapter.

• Complete application requesting chapter.

Admittance of a Chapter• Complete application.• Obtain support of a minimum of seven lodge members to commit to

serving a one year term as a mentor.• At least one of the seven must meet the qualifications of an Advisor

and be willing to serve in that role.• Advisor must be committed to filling the necessary requirements to

become a “certified” Ten Steps Rites of Passage Trainer and provide to the chapter members.

• All lodge chapter members commit to meeting the requirements to become Ten Steps Rites of Passage “certified” mentors.

• Chapter commits to generating the necessary resources to operate the program for a minimum of three years.

• Chapter names shall be based upon one of the following criteria:– Impactful African American Male, local, district, state, or national– Ancestry Figure

Chapter Annual Incomeper tribe

Category Description Amount

Black History Month

Recognize 5 local African American Male Leader that have made significant contributions to local community.

$5,000

Youth Entrepreneurship

Lead by lodge member each chapter must have a youth business training project

$1,000

Scholarship Secure local businesses to make donations for this specific purpose.

$1,000

Community Foundations

Submit grant request to local community foundation for program support.

$1,000

Total Income $8,000

Chapter Annual Expensesper tribe

Category Description Amount

Program Supplies Books, shirts, incentives $ 750

Ceremonies Recognition of achievement $ 350

Field Trips Monthly field trips & travel $ 900

Scholarship College bound student $ 500

Certification Advisor Training $1,000

Chapter fee Cost associated with overall program operations

$1,500

Total Expenses $5,000

NET REVENUE $3,000

Pilot Lodges

Grand Advisory Council

R.W. Director of Youth Activities

Calumet District Youth Supervisor Central District Youth Supervisor

Lakeside #47 LodgeLocal Advisory Council

Advisor

Order of Pythagorans Chapter

Assistant District Youth Supervisor

C. R. Richardson #69 LodgeLocal Advisory Council

Advisor

Order of Pythagorans Chapter

Assistant District Youth Supervisor

Timeline• February 28, 2011 - PowerPoint presentation presented to GM Morton • March 31, 2011 – Presentation refined for GM Morton final approval• April 29, 2011 - Linshaell Group's program finalized, approved by GM Morton. • May 30, 2011 - Develop program documents to include 1)template memorandum of

understanding (MOU) 2) Chapter’s application form, 3) Program impact assessment system, 4) Chapter Readiness assessment tool, 5) How to Manual and obtain approval from Grand Lodge.

• June 30, 2011 - Secure funds necessary for our pilot program, as well as for all districts, putting the funds in our KOP (Order of Knights of Pythagoras) account, under the direction & supervision of Grand Lodge 

• July 30, 2011 – adult leaders at pilot districts trained on Ten Steps Rites of Passage.• August 30, 2011 - with funds procured for all phases of the program, each adult

leader in our pilot districts begins to find & define the 6 (six) members of its pride• September 1, 2011 - KOP Rites of Passage program implemented in our pilot districts• November 21, 2011 - during the Thanksgiving break we present the first survey forms

to the young men in our pilot program to form an evaluation of the program• November 30, 2011 - the evaluation forms will be looked at & considered• December 30, 2011 - Ellis & Maye will determine any changes to result from the

evaluation• January 31, 2012 – adult leaders in remaining districts trained on Ten Steps Rites of

Passage.• March 31, 2012 - KOP Rites of Passage program is implemented in all 8 districts