If Brothers on the Rise succeeds, high schools around Oakland soon will be getting male students who are more responsible, peaceful, caring and successful.

At least that's what the founder of the afterschool middle school program believes will happen.

"What inspired me ... were my own experiences as a kid, dealing with violence, and seeing so many male youth(s) nowadays dealing with this," said Jon Gilgoff, founder and director.

Participating schools include Frick Middle School, Edna Brewer Middle School.

At a mid-way ceremony at Brewer on Jan. 27, 13 "brothers" led parents, teachers and other community supporters through a day in the life of the brothers.

The boys called on people from the audience to honor loved ones who are no longer present. Students beat on drums, and the whole room followed the rhythm.

They also demonstrated "Man Up," which is when boys may confess to things they are not so proud about having done.

The boys often do skits to analyze different ways to address a problem. In one skit, a boy "ran into" another boy. The victim reacted in four ways: passively, aggressively, assertively and creatively. Participants had to label which type of reaction it was and which was best.

Neil Wessling, a sixth grader, said that it was fun to be "meeting all new people and getting to do all this awesome stuff."

Gilgoff said there is a lack of programs to address boys' needs.

"There's also a lot of injustice affecting male youth in Oakland, including poverty, racism, and a focus on incarceration over education," said Gilgoff. "There's a great need to support boys on their path to manhood."

At the ceremony, the boys received gift cards for their participation. Eighth-graders received $40 cards.

But gift cards aren't the motivator for most Brothers on the Rise.

"It's pretty cool," said Kevin Stephens, an eighth grader. "(The program) addresse