A Union County youth program that steered 25 teen boys away from crime is expanding to Charlotte. None of the participants in the M.A.R.C.U.S. "Men of Excellence" summer program have reoffended since it ended, founder Tina Sykes-Mosely said.

Sykes-Mosely, who founded the nonprofit after her son Marcus was killed by gun violence, launched the program in Union County over the summer of 2026. M.A.R.C.U.S. stands for Mothers Advocating for Real Change and Unwavering Support, a 501(c)(3) named in honor of Marcus Gerard Mosley.

The program showed 25 high school boys what different futures could look like. Participants visited two college campuses, including an overnight stay at N.C. A&T State University. They also went to Central Prison, a cemetery and local companies for hands-on job training.

"We showed them different alternatives," Sykes-Mosely told Queen City News. "… We took them to two different colleges/universities here, and they were able to stay all night on campus at A&T to get the feel of it. Then we took them to Central Prison."

Since the summer program ended, none of the 25 have reoffended, Sykes-Mosely said. No independent verification of that claim was available.

The expansion comes as Charlotte grapples with youth violence. By August, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police had counted 431 youth victims of violent crime in 2026, according to QCity Metro. Charlotte City Council voted 9-2 on Monday, Sept. 28, to approve a 10 p.m. curfew for anyone under 18, a pilot that takes effect Nov. 1 and runs through Aug. 31, 2027.

Sykes-Mosely supports the curfew and said parental buy-in is the key.

"Would you rather confine them to home or confine them to a casket?" she said.

M.A.R.C.U.S. lists the Union County Sheriff's Office, the Union County District Attorney's Office, Monroe Police Department, the Union County Chamber of Commerce, Indian Trail Town Council and Monroe City Council among its partners. The organization received the Union County Chamber of Commerce Nonprofit Innovation Award in December 2025, according to Sykes-Mosely's LinkedIn profile.

The nonprofit has co-hosted events with Union County Sheriff Eddie Cathey, including the Community in Motion Walk to End Gun Violence, and held a Teen Summit on youth gun violence, according to the M.A.R.C.U.S. website.

No dates have been announced for the Charlotte expansion or for upcoming M.A.R.C.U.S. events in the Waxhaws area. Updates are posted at marcusmoms.org.