What Boys Need Today with Fr. Mark Perkins

What does it take to raise boys into men in today’s culture? Fr. Mark Perkins, chaplain and assistant headmaster at St. Dunstan’s Academy, joins Davies Owens to discuss the urgent challenges facing boys and the bold vision behind launching a farm, trades, and classics boys’ boarding school in the Anglican tradition. Drawing on personal experience as a teacher, minister, and father, Fr. Mark highlights why so many boys are disengaging from schools, church, and even family life - and what we can do about it. From the importance of rites of passage, to the value of single-sex education, to the power of farming and trades as apprenticeships into manhood, this conversation offers parents and school leaders practical insights for re-embodying learning and lengthening the runway into adulthood. You’ll also hear about The Joshua Program, a new vocational discernment gap-year track for young men ages 17–20.

🎧 Tune in to discover:

Why boys today struggle with school, work, and even forming families

How rites of passage and mentorship shape healthy masculinity

The four pillars of St. Dunstan’s Academy: Christian formation, classical academics, farming life, and trades

Practical steps for parents and schools to cultivate responsibility, resilience, and community

Resources Mentioned:

https://mereorthodoxy.com/common-arts-that-matter

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