DeMolay International was founded on the idea of every young man or woman being independent and confident. The organizations purpose is to give young adults the opportunities to grow into respectable citizens, teach them how to interact with others and let them find the confidence in themselves to lead.

“I was angry before DeMolay,” sophomore Nickolas Stuyvesant said. “I wasn’t a person to be around. I wasn’t happy with myself. DeMolay has helped me become a better son and better person.”

DeMolay is a youth organization affiliated with the Free Masons and has chapters, or individual groups of members, all over the world with many in our area. Stuyvesant is an officer of the Garland Chapter and has been a member for three years. The chapter started out with only three members but is growing both in number and in the ways that it helps  others.

“We started out pretty lazy,” Stuyvesant said. “We became more active with other chapters and then we became more active with ourselves.”

Garland DeMolay has been a helping hand at Scottish Rite Hospital for the last decade and volunteers each year for the Toys for Tots Foundation in order to better acclimate the members with the community. The organization also uses these events for recruitment as well. Sophomore Homero Perez is one such prospect that was involved in a DeMolay event.

“It would be fun to join,” Perez said. “[It’s] kind of the same [as Boy Scouts], but in DeMolay you have more freedom. It’s based off of boy-led, boy-run ethics.”

Perez has been to events for Garland Chapter held at Whirlyball the laser tag arena and arcade, and the Chapter lodge itself for a gaming tournament. While remaining serious in public DeMolay mostly consists of “party-like socials” Stuyvesant said.

“North would be a lighter atmosphere if more people were in DeMolay,” says Stuyvesant. “[Students] would be more committed.”

Read more about DeMolay here https://www.raiderecho.com/features/2013/10/18/additional-info-demolay/