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Paul Hill
Paul Hill has dedicated his life to work that exemplifies the African
proverb, "It takes a village to raise a child." Through community-based
programs that give young people and their families an opportunity to grow
together, learn about their heritage, and build a foundation of responsibility
and trust, Mr. Hill has made a difference in countless lives and helped
young people throughout the nation to reach their full potential. 
A licensed social worker, Mr. Hill, 54, is Executive Director of the East End Neighborhood House in Cleveland, Ohio; founder of the National Rites of Passage Institute; and author of the 1992 book, Coming of Age, as well as numerous other publications.
Mr. Hill focuses on the African-American community, and his larger goal is the development of whole and centered people who become productive members of society. Mr. Hill's unique approach has been nationally recognized, and currently there are attempts to replicate his program in other Ohio cities, as well as in New Jersey and Canada.
Mr. Hill's East End Neighborhood House and its Rites of Passage Program teaches participants personal development, ethnic identity, and knowledge of African culture and history while emphasizing academic achievement and career development. Mr. Hill believes that one way to help troubled African American youth is to develop positive "rites of passage" that are based on their African heritage, thus providing young people with a strong connection both to their past and their community.
Although Mr. Hill hopes to have the greatest impact on youth, he believes that the African-American community suffers less from a youth problem than an adult problem, because youth emulate adults. The East End Neighborhood House offers an array of programs that reach people of all ages and address such concerns as child care, technological training, alcohol abuse, employment needs, and health care.
In 1989, Mr. Hill received a Fellowship through the Kellogg National Leadership Program, which helped shape and refine his programs and ideas. The three-year Fellowship enabled him to travel worldwide to study male socialization among indigenous cultures and how these cultures promote positive social behaviors for the benefit of the community. He has applied the lessons from his Kellogg Fellowship to his work with families and communities, and the insights he gained became the foundation not only for his book but also for his trailblazing Rites of Passage Institute. Since 1993, Mr. Hill's program has trained more than 800 adults nationwide, and they in turn have provided services to about 10,000 young people throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Mr. Hill credits the Kellogg National Leadership Program with "globalizing" his thinking and providing him with opportunities and skills that have inspired not only his work but also his family. (For example, one of his daughters is in the Peace Corps.) As a Kellogg Fellow, Mr. Hill was able to broaden his contacts and networks-exchanging ideas and insights with other Kellogg Fellows and with leaders from around the world. Another result of his Kellogg experience has been his increasing use of the Internet as a vehicle to promulgate his programs and ideas.
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Dr. Joseph O'Rourke