Students from Castlemont Manhood Development class
Partnering on a pioneering new program, we are working to address the many educational and cultural challenges to college access for African American males in the Oakland Unified School District.
- Partnership with African-American Male Achievement Initiative at Oakland Unified School District and UC Berkeley Destination College.
- Manhood Development Program: Working with 150 African American 9th and 10th grade young men within a for-credit class at five schools (Castlemont, Fremont, Oakland High, Oakland Technical and Skyline).
- Young men who meet the Great Expectations scholarship requirements will have priority application
Through involvement with a range of students, from truant to succeeding, we will grow to serve 350-400 young men in 9-12th grade helping them achieve educational success. In this demographic, less than 60% graduate from high school, compared to 83% graduation rate for white students (Murphy). This program is open to all African-American young men. In a recent evaluation, absences and school tardies decreased 43% among participants, and 50% earned higher grades over the course of only a single academic year.
