More than 300 local “real men,” from Mayor-President Kip Holden, sheriff’s deputies and firefighters to Daddy-Man, LSU baseball coach Paul Mainieri and bankers, showed up at various elementary schools today, February 9. Their purpose? To read to at-risk boys who need strong male role models and MENtors.

As part of the East Baton Rouge Parish School System program Real Men Read, men like Daddy-Man (first photo), aka Ivy Butler dressed as a “super” father for a visit to Riveroaks Elementary School, visited the schools to model reading and provide mentorship. Daddy-Man encouraged kindergarteners to “study hard and listen to your teacher.”

Mainieri made quite an impression on 15 fifth-grade students, at Lanier Elementary School (second photo). The LSU coach, whose son is a writer, said, “Reading is not punishment. Reading is fun. I believe if you believe in yourself, you can move mountains. You can do anything you want.” Just like the Real Men Read book, “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!” says, “Your mountain is waiting, so get on your way.”

The pilot program started in Chicago Public Schools. These same men will continue with the program as MENtors during the 2009-2010 school year, when there will be about six opportunities for one-on-one events.