MENAC

Mario Harris

Mario Harris is a retired United States Marine Master Sergeant that served faithfully and honorably for over twenty-seven years. Throughout his distinguished career, he was an Equal Opportunity Representative, Formal School Instructor, Certified Master Trainer, Curriculum Developer, and Certified Master Instructor (Marine Awareness and Prevention Training). His commitment to equality, solid leadership skills, conflict resolution, and command experience has given him the distinctive ability to take extremely complicated procedures and situations and turned them into teachable moments. Mario holds the Associate in Arts degree from Campbell University (2021). He is currently enrolled at Campbell University’s Bachelors of Business Administration program.

Following retirement, Mario saw a need for kids who had lost their way particularly in underdeveloped portions of towns and counties. Working with his friend and eventual mentor, Ike Johnson, and several other Marine Corps veterans, MENAC was incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that is positioned and was purposefully created for the mental growth, educational expansion, and societal awareness of every child, teenager, and young adult between the ages of 12 and 30 years old that lives in an underdeveloped neighborhood and community.

Mario uses his skills that were obtained as a facilitator and his training as a Formal School Instructor and Certified Master Trainer (USMC) for mentoring youth and young adults. His strategy is to serve as a guide to mentor kids in a way that helps them ‘up the mountain to plant their flag’ so that they can find out what they want to be in life.

While MENAC Inc., works with kids from middle school through high school and beyond, Mario focuses on middle school students while Ike works with high school students who are having trouble in school and in life. Often the kids are from single-parent homes with the mom as the kid’s only parent. Referrals come through the Onslow County Social Services program. Mario also takes on juvenile offenders from the court system. He tries to dispel the thinking that “I didn’t because I couldn’t.” He follows his mission because he believes that every kid should have a guide and by working together can help our youth make better decisions in life.

To learn more about MENAC and find ways to volunteer visit their website at https://menac.org/

Mario enjoys spending time with his family and friends, traveling, reading, and playing chess for fun.  He is qualified in conflict resolution, equity, equality, mediation, leadership, and team development at all levels. He uses consistency, versatility, and a positive approach when helping people accomplish their goals and dreams to succeed beyond their potential and believes success is achieved when society embraces “building minds builds communities.”

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