Guidance from The Links Inc. helps young men get ahead

Test taking makes 17-year-old Dimante Givens nervous.

The first time he took the ACT, he was sweating. He overthought almost every question, going back and changing some of his answers.

"I believe I lowered my score just by overthinking," Givens said.

Next time, that won't happen, he said, because he's taking an ACT prep course led by a group of women who are members of The Links Inc. in Jackson.

Givens remembers one woman with the national service organization telling him, "Don't overthink."

"That's the first thing she told us before she handed out pencils," he said. "These women are helping me overcome my fear of standardized test taking."

Givens is one of 23 black male high school students The Links are inspiring to be successful in and out of school. All of the students were recognized during the group's 45th annual founder's day program on Nov. 15 at St. Paul CME Church in Jackson. Read on:

http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20091122/LIFESTYLE/911220304/Guidance-from-The-Links-Inc.-helps-young-men-get-headed-in-the-right-direction