At Elmont Memorial High School, a quiet but powerful movement is shaping the next generation of young men. One of the leaders at the center of it is Jon Johnson Sr., of the Men of Elmont, a grass-roots mentoring initiative dedicated to guiding students from seventh grade through high school.
Meeting weekly from October through June, the program brings together about 30 students every Wednesday afternoon in the school library. But Men of Elmont is more than just a meeting — it’s a structured, values-driven brotherhood. At its core is the acronym LDRSHIP, standing for loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity and personal courage — principles that participants carry with them in school and beyond.
Johnson, 58, an adult volunteer leader, who has been a part of the program since it was launched in October 2016, works alongside a dedicated leadership team that includes guidance counselor Mike Fleury and mathematics teacher Joseph Meli. Together, they mentor students not just academically but personally, helping them navigate the transition to manhood.
“This is about guiding young men through life,” said Johnson, “We’re not their parents, but we are adult mentors they can rely on.”
The program regularly hosts events like Breaking Bread, in which students sit down over a shared meal with guest speakers from a variety of professions. These sessions, sometimes held jointly with the school’s female mentoring group, Leading Ladies of Elmont, allow students to interact with accomplished people and hear firsthand about their journeys to success.
Johnson’s path to mentorship began when he was growing up in South Jamaica, Queens, where he had mentors who emphasized the importance of giving back to young people when he became an adult. A 1988 graduate of SUNY Old Westbury, he studied business management with a minor in marketing.
“I come from the model ‘each one teach one,’” he said. “That’s what we do — pay it forward.”
In addition to his work with Men of Elmont, Johnson is also president of the Elmont Cardinal Sports Club, which has been around for more than 50 years and is dedicated to serving youth by offering them opportunities to get involved in sports. Johnson has been active with the organization for 24 years.
Men of Elmont members maintain a high school graduation rate of roughly 98 percent, with most going on to college, trade school or military service. Even after graduation, they remain connected, living out the group’s motto, “MOE for life.” Alumni frequently return as guest speakers, creating a full-circle mentorship experience.
“They come back and stand in front of the same seats they once sat in,” Johnson said. “That’s what it’s all about.”
The program has also inspired broader community engagement through the Elmont PTSA Dad’s Club, launched in 2023, which Johnson also chairs. Meeting biweekly, the club provides a space for fathers, uncles and mentors to discuss life’s challenges and support one another.
In an interview with the Herald last year, Tiffany Capers, an Elmont Board of Education trustee, praised the impact of the Dad’s Club. “In that room, those men are all brothers and mentors to each other,” Capers said, crediting its success to consistency, engagement and a welcoming environment.
Johnson’s leadership has not gone unnoticed among his peers. Fellow Men of Elmont mentor Curtis Johnson highlighted his friend’s influence.
“Jon Johnson has been one of the driving forces for the MOE program at the high school,” Curtis Johnson said. “His commitment to the boys and team is obvious.”
Touching on “MOE for life,” he added that he and Jon Johnson keep track of the boys even after they graduate, checking in to see how they’re doing on Zoom. “It’s a privilege to work alongside of him and the other adult mentors to help make a difference in the life of a young man,” Curtis Johnson said.
For Jon, the reward isn’t recognition — it’s impact. “The fact that we can help young men navigate manhood,” he said, “that’s priceless.”
