The Brentwood My Brother’s Keeper recently earned a significant achievement just a few months ago, facing national certification from the MBK alliance composed of hundreds of school districts.
My Brother’s Keeper (MBK), led by advisors Mrs. Pagan and Mr. Morgan, is an initiative focused on enriching the experiences of Brentwood High School’s young men and preparing them with the opportunities they need to succeed.
“MBK is a fun program that can teach you many valuable skills at the same time,” said Jonathan Ramos, a Ross sophomore that is now in his second year in the program. “Mr. Morgan, Ms. Pagan, and Mr. Herguth are nice people and fun to be around. They understand us and we can really be ourselves when we are around them.”
This 2025-2026 school year, MBK has been hosting after school meetings each Wednesday in the Ross library. Already, MBK has had many guest speakers and presentations regarding future college and career readiness.
These speakers have included BHS guidance counselors and Ms. Valentina Morgan, an expert in financial aid, giving insight on the processes behind receiving financial aid. Additionally, members of the “Electrical Workers Minority Caucus” have spoken about their experiences in their construction projects.
To further add onto the college conversation and strengthen the brotherhood that defines MBK, the program took a trip on Monday, Nov. 17, to Manhattan via the LIRR and the subway, stopping at Grand Central. Visiting Hunter College, MBK students met up with Tristian Valez, a former member of the MBK who currently attends the school. Students had the chance to tour the campus and see the services offered by the college.
Afterwards, they went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art right near Central Park, exploring the current Egyptian Collection, before heading home on the train from Penn Station to Brentwood.
The collective MBK of Brentwood’s high school and freshman campus marched in the homecoming parade wearing dress pants, dress shirts, vests, ties, and caps. They also participated in the annual Tree lighting ceremony at the high school on Friday, Dec. 5, and participated in a joint etiquette dinner with Girls Inc. On Wednesday, Dec. 17.
This is only the start of what Brentwood’s MBK has planned for this year as it will continue to do many more fun events.
Last year, the program was also actively involved in a variety of trips, events, and community service opportunities.
One notable event that occurred last February, “Cooking with Cops,” gave MBK “the opportunity to cook some fire tacos with cops learn some cooking safety and how to manage ingredients,” according to Ramos.
In this event, the MBK worked with officers of the Suffolk County Police Department in a joint effort to make tacos from scratch, which everyone got the chance to enjoy at the end.
Another event, which took place on Martin Luther King Jr. Day this past January, gave MBK the chance to aid in the giveaway of toys, food, and hygiene products for families in need at the Brentwood East Fire department with Suffolk County Legislator Sam Gonzalez.
MBK’s activities also included field trips. They had the opportunity to go see a professional MBA game in-person at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, where the Brooklyn Nets faced the Philadelphia 76ers.
“Last Year, while dreaming about Lebron James, Mr. Hergurth and Mr. Morgan hooked us up with peak seats for a Brooklyn Nets basketball game in the city,” Ramos said.
MBK has also marched in countless parades like the St. Patrick’s Day, Memorial Day, and Puerto Rican Day parades, and attended other events like the MBK Long Island Symposium and the annual MBK game night at Roosevelt High School.
At Roosevelt, “we worked out how to communicate and network with other groups and people, some our age, from across long Island,” Ramos said. “It has really taught us how to think ahead and look for any opportunities for future decisions- like college and career readiness.”
Ramos added that he got to enjoy “AMAZING food and oozy gooey creamy Mac and Cheese with tender and immaculately flavorful steak” at the buffet at Roosevelt.
“Overall, the program is very interactive. I’ve enjoyed the memories I’ve made, and the life lessons it has and will continue to teach us,” Ramos said.
MBK will continue to meet every Wednesday from 2-3 p.m., except on the last Wednesday of the month, where meetings are from 2-5 p.m. Everyone is welcome to join. Make sure to contact Mrs. Pagan or Mr. Morgan on Teams or in person if you have any questions!
