Education advocates and city officials say a new program will help to transform the lives of young men.

Hundreds of students from nine schools will be paired up with mentors from the Eagle Academy.

All of the mentees are students of color in sixth-grade and they will paired up with mentors who are either high school upperclassmen, or Eagle Academy alumni in their 20s.

Organizers say it's vital that they'll be able to relate with the young students.

Officials, including Borough President Eric Adams and Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza, were on hand to help kickoff the program.