NY1’s latest New Yorker of the Week knows that taking care of city kids is a full-time job, and it takes more than just parents and teachers.

Kareem Wright expects his friend Tariq Byrdsong to graduate from a good college, lead his community, if not his country, and continue to be an upstanding citizen of the city. It’s a tall order, considering Tariq is only 10.

“I think he can be a future leader, not just of New York City, but in America,” says Wright.

This is Friends of the Children, a Harlem-based youth program that matches young kids with adult "friends" to monitor their success until high school graduation.

“It's fun. I just like coming here to just cool down from having a hard day, because I do work all the time,” says Tariq.

He was selected for the program two years ago after staff members watched him for six weeks in the classroom, the cafeteria and the playground to understand his strengths and weaknesses. His second grade teacher remembers him as a bright student who needed to curb his temper and learn to focus.

“When I had him in second grade he just would not pay attention, [but] now he's proud to tell me that he's doing well on his practice tests in math, and that's a big thing for him,” says P.S. 241 teacher Sharon Daley.

Friends of the Children follow their kids as they move up in grade. Each "friend" is a college graduate and works with the children full-time to guide them academically, emotionally and socially.

Executive Director Howard Clyman says that, and the length of the relationship, make this model work.

“When they graduate from high school - first of all, that they do graduate - when they do they can reach their potential,” says Clyman. “They have self confidence, they know how to deal with people, they know how to resolve conflicts, and we really believe that absent our intervention they wouldn't be able to do that.”

“I'm able to watch him year by year grow mentally and physically,” says Kareem Wright. “We measure the kids over on the wall so I can actually see him grow in inches.”

Friends of the Children is privately funded and receives no money from parents.

Maria Sanchez, mother to little Elias, says the program helps her son succeed and helps her be a better parent.

“We work very hard because we have long hours at our job, me and my husband, and I don't have the time to go out with Elias, even to the movies,” she says. “Sometimes Mr. Steve can go with him and I feel blessed that we have this program.”

For Tariq and Kareem, it's a friendship that may last a lifetime, even if it is, at times, embarrassing.

“I guess last year - if he doesn't mind me saying - I guess he had a girlfriend, and he didn’t want to reveal it to too many people, and he revealed it to me and we were able to discuss it and he felt more relaxed and comfortable discussing it to me once he realized I didn't come down hard on him,” says Kareem.

Friends of the Children are our New Yorkers of the Week.

To find out more about Friends of the Children New York, call 212-865-6942, or visit friendsofthechildrenny.org.

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