It's not uncommon for Army Maj. Larry Stiller to eat breakfast with his daughter, though they usually do it at home.

But March 13, Stiller and about 50 other dads got to snack on doughnut holes and mini-muffins, and sip coffee and apple juice with their children in Triadelphia Ridge Elementary's cafeteria.

The occasion was Dudes and Donuts, an event aimed at encouraging more paternal participation at the school.

"I think it's a good idea," Stiller, of Glenwood, said. "More women are involved (at schools than men). It's good to have more fathers participate."

Laura Hulett, Triadelphia Ridge's Parent Teacher Association president, helped organize the event, the first of its kind at the Ellicott City school, in part because of a male outreach initiative sponsored by the National PTA: Men Organized to Raise Engagement.

The initiative advocates partnering with male groups and communities to engage more men and garner more paternal involvement in students' academic lives, according to La'Keisha Gray-Sewell, a media relations officer for the National PTA.

Gray-Sewell said there is a growing need for father figures.

"They're not just 'dad the provider' or the one who goes to sporting events anymore," she said. "It takes a whole family to raise a well-developed child. Moms are out of the house just as much as dads. So it's a sharing of the responsibilities now."

Getting fathers involved

Dad-centered events such as Dudes and Donuts are becoming more and more common at county elementary schools.

About one year ago, Bellows Spring, in Ellicott City, joined the national WATCHDOGS (Dads of Great Students) program, which encourages fathers and father figures to spend an entire day at school. Last school year, about 100 fathers, stepfathers, uncles and grandfathers participated in the program. This year, at least 125 men signed up, according to Bellows Spring PTA President Laurie Lerman.

Lerman said the program benefits both families and schools.

"They (the father figures) feel more involved, and it strengthens the home-school connection," she said. "I would love to see more Howard County schools adopt it."

Other county elementary schools have started dad-centered programs apart from the National PTA initiative, because they saw a need.

Derek Robertson, a Worthington Elementary PTA member, spearheaded the school's Breakfast with Dads event last school year and helped organize the school's second one last month.

"I was the only dad going to PTA meetings," he explained. "You get a little lonely, and I wanted to encourage more dads to come to school."

In February, West Friendship Elementary launched a "Males Empowering Now" bulletin board, which holds a growing collection of submitted photos of father figures engaging in educational activities with students.

West Friendship wants to encourage fathers to promote academic learning at home, said the school's guidance counselor, Carita Carlisle. She said the effort was inspired by research from the Horizon Foundation, a county organization that promotes health and wellness, which shows that strong involvement of father figures in children's lives can prevent kids from dealing with adversity in destructive ways, such as by taking drugs or dropping out of school.

At Bushy Park Elementary School in Glenwood, more than 100 students participated in gooey science experiments and ate cheese pizza with their fathers or father figures during the school's Pizza and Potions event in November. The school's first dad-centered event at the school drew a full house, and encouraged organizers to plan similar events in the future.

Mark Shaughness, a Glenwood resident, attended the event and was grateful for the opportunity.

"Usually mom is in the activities. It's nice to see the dads get involved," he said.

Dad-centered events are almost exclusive to elementary schools in the county. The reason, said some elementary school PTA members, is that fathers are more likely to attend sports and other events when their children are in middle and high school, and because older children are less interested in spending time with their parents.

Robertson said dads need to maximize involvement in their kids' lives at the elementary school level.

"As kids get older, they don't really want you around," he said. "This is when you make a lasting impression. In terms of being involved in school, this is the time to do it."

When the bell rang at Triadelphia Ridge, 30 minutes into breakfast, kids hurriedly gathered their backpacks and kissed their dudes good-bye.

Tom Twigg, of Glenelg, who got a kiss and a bright parting smile from his fourth-grade daughter, Maria, was glad he attended.

"I think it's a great thing, especially for dads who work every day," he said. "I'll do whatever it takes for her."

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