Born and raised in Peoria, Asa Lewis Jr. is using his organization, Make Your Marq, to give students in his hometown positive reinforcement and the tools to navigate tough situations.
Lewis is a behavioral coach at Elise Ford Allen Academy. He started Make Your Marq shortly before the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, originally envisioning it as an opportunity to get minority and local business owners in front of Peoria kids.
“Once COVID hit, we kind of re-imagined it more into the leadership-based, emotion-based thing that we’re trying to do now,” said Lewis.
The loss of his brother Marques in 2017 also played a role in the creation of the group — the “q” at the end of mark is a reference to his name.
“I was tired of the sadness I associated with it and I wanted to remember more of the laughing and the joking. So, we’ll do something more positive to remind me of him,” said Lewis. “We got the colorful logo and stuff like that.”
Make Your Marq officially starts meetings in the colder months, with Lewis saying he wants the kids to be able to spend their recess outside during the warmer weather. He estimates just under 200 kids attended a meeting last year. At the meetings, kids learn life skills, conflict resolution and crisis mitigation strategies. Lewis said they’re also incorporating yoga breathing and action plans this year.
“We’re going to make sure that they have some tools in their toolbox, so whatever situation arises, they have something that they can do,” he said.
The program also focuses on positive reinforcement; kids that take advantage of volunteer opportunities or show positive behavior can get wristbands, stickers, T-shirts and more to mark their achievements.
“It’s easy to say, hey when something bad happens, don’t react to it,” said Lewis. “Don’t do this. Don’t do that. Well how? You know? Can you teach the kids?”
The group also includes a wide range of kids with different backgrounds. Lewis said special programs often target the top 5% or bottom 5% of kids in any given metric, and leaving 90% out leaves a lot to be desired in both effectiveness and participation. Though the program is based in Elise Ford Allen Academy this year Lewis has held meetings and programs in at least three district schools. He hopes to eventually expand Make Your Marq to all the district middle schools.
There’s also a love for sports that’s part of Lewis’ drive to improve kids’ lives.
He’s been coaching high school football in some capacity since 2013. On Friday, Aug. 26, Make Your Marq will be represented at the Peoria High School football game against Metamora. Some of the players will have Make Your Marq stickers on their helmets. They are kids who have volunteered with the group on projects like summer school, feeding the homeless and community cleanups. There also will be wristband giveaways and signs with QR codes to learn more about the program.
If you’re interested in learning more about Make Your Marq, you can get in touch with through their Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or email makeyourmarq309@gmail.com.
