The Fayette County branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) will be holding a “Men of Valor” conference Aug. 12 at Sandy Creek High School from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The conference, open to men of the community, is designed to teach young men and their fathers the responsibility and morality that will help them be better members of the community, said Rev. Edward Johnson, president of the NAACP Fayette County branch.

“We’re concerned by the violence in our community perpetrated by young men,” Johnson said. “We feel like many of them are not getting the right guidance. We hope to bring them together, regardless of race, to teach them to be good citizens.”

Although parts of the conference will address issues specific to the African American community, most of the topics addressed will apply to everyone, Johnson said.

“We’re going to talk about citizenship, the right to vote, emphasizing how important voting rights are,” he said. “For fathers, we’re talking about the legal aspects of child care or child support. For younger men, we’re talking about academic excellence and how to prepare yourself to be successful academically.”

Speakers at the conference will be drawn from various positions of respect across the community, including lawyers, doctors, civil rights activists and minsters.

The specific target group for the conference is young men, ages 13-18, and their fathers, Johnson said, although any male who wants to attend is welcome.

“We would love fathers to bring their sons,” he said. “If a young man has an absent father and wants to bring an uncle or father figure who is a positive role model, they’re welcome to.”

The hope, Johnson said, is to improve the community by educating its young men to discourage them from getting involved in gangs or other violent activities.

“The more we address and supplement the education [teens] are getting in high school and hopefully their homes to build their character,” he said, “the better off our county, state and country will be.”

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