The B.E.S.T. Academy in partnership with 100 Black Men of Atlanta, Inc., is a public all-boys school in Atlanta, Georgia, servicing students from grades 6-12. Its mission is to develop a high-functioning community of learners by promoting excellence in student achievement, culture, climate, and stakeholder involvement. Through the single-gender structure, The B.E.S.T. Academy strives to significantly shape its students into well-rounded young men who are prepared to meet current and future demands in an ever-changing global society. The 100 BMOA helps B.E.S.T. achieve its mission by providing leadership development services, on-site support, mentoring programs and financial assistance to the young men.
Published in Chapter:
Projecting Success: Reciprocal Relationships and Successful Partnerships
Ursula Thomas (Perimeter College, Georgia State University, USA) and Frederick D. Parham (Clark Atlanta University, USA)
Copyright: © 2020
|Pages: 11
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-7998-3285-0.ch006
Abstract
Changing the trajectory of Black male students may not yet be a national conversation, but it's on the national radar screen. The success of Black males has increasingly become a topic of research, dialogue, debate, and strategic planning. As we engage in the conversation, however, talking with Black male students is a reminder that we're educating kids, not statistics, and that, as one Black student affirms, “The truth doesn't live in numbers. It lives in the person.” The challenges facing Black males throughout the educational pipeline have been discussed by researchers in detail. However, missing from this research are discussions from the perspective of researchers, educators, and community members united on how to better support Black males. This case study examines the field placement partnership between Perimeter College and Project Success: 100 Black Men of Atlanta. The case study documents the goals, plans, and outcomes of the three-year partnership.