For members of a mentoring group for boys at Creekside Elementary, Suffolk Public Schools Superintendent Deran Whitney delivered a potent message on PERPing.

The acronym stands for perseverance, effort, responsibility and problem solving, Whitney explained.

“This is an acronym that helps me remember how to ensure I maintain a good, strong work ethic,” he said.

Previously, Whitney has attended Creekside to speak to boys in the Breakfast Club.

But with the departure of its sponsor, Jesse Ellison, to Virginia Beach City Public Schools, that club ceased, Creekside physical education teacher Erik Johnson said.

Wanting a fresh start, Johnson started a new club with a similar purpose.

“We named it The Association,” he said. “I wanted to be something where the name represented a group of people. The Association is something that kind of popped into my head. The boys bought into it, and it set us apart from the Breakfast Club.”

Meeting once a week, the club seeks to impart life skills upon its members, whom Johnson said are selected in coordination with other teachers in the building.

“I sat down with the teachers and said, ‘I want those students that have leadership qualities and ability, but they need reassurance,” Johnson said.

“We are doing our best to create quality leaders and quality citizens.”

Also helping run the club are Joel Tise, a physical education teacher at Creekside and Northern Shores Elementary School, and Brian Williams, the district’s food and nutrition services supervisor.

Meeting in a classroom attached to the gym recently, the 18-odd boys were on their best behavior for the superintendent’s visit.

Johnson wheeled in a cart with lunches from the cafeteria — chicken sandwiches with fries and a pickle — and three boys leapt up to help pass them around.

“Did you save lunch for me?” Whitney asked upon arriving.

The superintendent walked the boys through each PERP word, asking them for examples and giving some from his own life.

At the age of 50, Whitney said, he’s taking up golf, and that’s requiring some PERPing.

“When you get in a tough situation, I want you to PERP yourselves,” he said.

Giving his example, one boy, who identified himself as Brandon, said he wants to play football when he grows up.

“I have to be responsible for my teammates,” he said, addressing one aspect of PERPing.

Whitney said that whenever he hears someone say they want to play a sport, he asks what’s the backup plan.

“Play basketball,” one of Brandon’s buddies chimed in.

“I guess be a coach,” Brandon added.