Dr. Cassondra Corbin-Thaddies and James “Andre” Thaddies | Photos by Kenneth Lamor Photography
For hundreds of Black male students across Palm Beach County, Connect to Greatness is more than an after-school program; it’s a place to find mentors, build confidence and realize their potential.
Founded in 2016 by Dr. Cassondra Corbin-Thaddies and her husband, James “Andre” Thaddies, the Boynton Beach 501(c)(3) nonprofit was first inspired by the 2012 shooting death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin. Motivated by a desire to ensure young Black males had positive role models and a strong sense of belonging, Corbin-Thaddies enlisted her husband to help bring the organization to life.
“With my years of experience working with youth and families, she recruited me,” explains Thaddies, a longtime teacher, counselor and behavior intervention specialist, “and together we started Connect to Greatness in 2016.”
The organization’s Boys to Men Leadership Academy serves boys ages 11 to 18 through mentorship initiatives such as Lunchbox Talks at schools, an Emerging Leaders program for middle school students, and Connecting Future Leaders for high school students. There’s also a Graduate Alumni Network to keep participants engaged into adulthood. Students can get tutoring and college-readiness instruction through the Greatness Academic Academy, and the organization supports the rest of the family through the Women of Boys Empowerment Program for mothers and female caregivers and the Men of Greatness Network for fathers and other male role models.
To date, Connect to Greatness has worked with 19 coaches, many of them former participants who have returned to mentor the next generation. The nonprofit serves 195 students from Boca Raton to Lake Worth, building confidence, community and connection through its programs and monthly game nights.
“We get students to think,” Thaddies says, “and balance the programs with outside activities.”
The nonprofit partners with organizations such as United Way and Children’s Services Council of Palm Beach County, and it receives investor donations, with the Lunchbox Talks program funded solely by The Jim Moran Foundation. Family events include the annual Brims & Beauties Seeds of Greatness Spring Tea fundraiser. The “21 for Change” campaign, meanwhile, encourages supporters to give $21 a month or make a one-time $250 donation to expand programs, scholarships and support.
For Thaddies, the mission is simple: Help young Black males recognize their own potential. “If they can’t see it,” he says, “how can they be it?”
For more information or to support Connect to Greatness, call 561-503-8455 or visit connect2greatness.org.