MEN UNDER CONSTRUCTION is a 12-week program developed by Kornegay, who was disturbed at the number of young African-American males he had to arrest during raids on “crack houses” while he was a member of the “SWAT” team. He started researching what could be done to steer the next group of potential participants in the criminal justice system away from a life of crime.

After speaking to parents, teachers, judges, attorneys, and a few of the defendants themselves, he devised a program in 1992 that would give willing students an opportunity to meet and talk to living success stories that looked just like them, give them some sort of spiritual development, and widen their own horizons by providing them with the principles of leadership.

Classes are given in personal money management, public speaking, table etiquette, picking a college, successful job interviews, rejecting peer pressure, dressing for success, dealing with authority figures, personal health and hygiene and more.

The program has enjoyed as guest speakers, Chiefs of Police Clarence Edwards, Richard Williams, Prince George's County Maryland's first Black Chief of Police, Gerald Williams, the Honorable Judge Reggie Walton, Prince George’s County Maryland’s first black States Attorney, Alex Williams, State's Attorneys, Jack Johnson and Mark Spencer, WJLA sports anchor Rennie Knott, News Channel 8's Glenn Harris, Jon Jeter from the Washington Post, Dr. Kevin Worrell of Kaiser Permanente, and U.S. Congressman Al Wynn, to name just a few.

At the end of the 12 week program, a “Rites of Passage” ceremony is held for the students that successfully complete the program. Based on the ”ROOTS” African tribal ritual of sending the young men away from the village to learn of life, the ceremony begins with the main teacher requesting on behalf of the students permission from the Pastor to come before the congregation to exhibit what they have learned. For some, this is their first time learning about respect as well as experiencing success through mind power.

There have been 18 classes in 15 years and, of approximately 480 students, we have had 240 graduates. We wholeheartedly believe all 480 came away from the class with something that will make a difference in their lives someday. The program has sparked nationwide interest with mentor groups as far away as Detroit, Dallas, Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Richmond.

On November 7, 1996, Demitri received the prestigious Community Service Award from the J. Franklin Bourne Association, an organization composed of minority attorneys in Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties, at their annual awards banquet.