100 Black Men Of Metropolitian Baton Rouge

TO GIVE SUBSTANCE TO A SHARED VISION WHICH FOSTERS AND DEVELOPS MODEL PROGRAMS THAT BUILD COMMUNITY BY ENHANCING LIVES OF OUR AFRICAN-AMERICAN YOUTH.

MENTORING: PROJECT EXCEL IS THE ORGANIZATION'S FLAGSHIP MENTORING PROGRAM. THIS PROGRAM FOCUSES ON MENTORING TO MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL AFRICAN-AMERICAN MALES TO HELP THEM DEVELOP ESSENTIAL LIFE SKILLS TO IMPROVE THEIR ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE,AND CITIZENSHIP. MENTEES ARE REQUIRED TO ENROLL IN THIS PROGRAM AND COMMIT TO REMAINING IN IT FOR AT LEAST ONE YEAR. PARENTS ARE ALSO REQUIRED TO ENSURE THAT THEIR SONS ARE PRESENT FOR AT LEAST 80% OF PROGRAM ACTIVITIES. THERE WERE 95 PARTICIPANTS IN THIS PROGRAM THIS YEAR. MENTEES WHO SUCCESSFULLY PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROGRAM FOR AT LEAST THREE YEARS AND MATRICULATE TO A TWO- OR FOUR-YEAR COLLEGE BECOME ELIGIBLE FOR A VILLAGE LEGACY SCHOLARSHIP. SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 1994, HUNDREDS OF TEENAGE MALES HAVE PARTICIPATED IN PROJECT EXCEL, AND THE ORGANIZATION HAS AWARDED OVER 95,000 IN VILLAGE LEGACY SCHOLARHIPS. THIS YEAR 4,500 IN SCHOLARSHIPS WERE AWARDED TO SIX DIFFERENCE PARTICIPANTS. THIS PROGRRAM ALSO INCLUDES ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL, SUCH AS PICNICS, FIELD TRIP TO SEE CULTURAL AND SPORTING EVENTS, AND TRAVEL TO AND PARTICIPATE IN SELECTED NATIONAL 100 BLACK MEN OF AMERICA CONVENTIONS. MENTORING ALSO INLCUDES A SUMMER STEM AND ROBOTICS ACADEMY PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES ENRICHMMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS IN THE 5TH THROUGH 8TH GRADES INTERESTED IN LEARNING COMPUTER PROGRAMMING, ROBOTICS, VIDEO GAME DEVEOPLMENT, AND LANGUAGE ARTS.

HEALTH AND WELLNESS: THE ORGANIZATION'S HEALTH AND WELLNESS GOALS ARE TO RAISE AWARENESS, PROVIDE ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE AND GIVE HEALTH INFORMATION THAT WILL ULTIMATELY PROMOTE BEHAVIORAL CHANGE RESULTING IN A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE. THE ORGANIZATION'S PRIMARY HEALTH AND WELLNESS PROGRAM IS CALLED WISE GUYS. THIS PROGRAM FOCUSES ON PROVIDING YOUNG MALES BETWEEN THE AGES OF 14 AND 18 KNOWLEDGE OF POSITIVE COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUES, HEALTHY MASCULINITY, SEXUAL VIOLENCE PREVENTION, AND TEEN PREGNANCY PREVENTION. THE WISE GUYS PROGRAM IS A WEEKLY, 10-SESSION GROUP INTERVENTION FOR ADOLESCENT MALES THAT IS DELIVERED BY A STAFF EDUCATOR. EACH SESSION IS APPROXIMATELY 45 TO 60 MINUTES LONG. THIS PGORAM IS FUNDED BY A CONTRACT THE ORGANIZATION HAS WITH THE STATE OF LOUISIANA'S DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HOSPITALS. THE ORGANIZATION IS REIMBURSED UNDER THE CONTRACT BASED ON THE NUMBER AND TYPES OF UNITS OF SERVICE PROVIDED. THIS YEAR 60 STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN THE WISE GUYS PROGRAM. IN ADDITION TO THE WISE GUYS PROGRAM, THE ORGANIZATION PARTNERS WITH LOCAL MEDICAL FACILITIES TO OFFER FREE HEALTH SCREENINGS FOR A MYRIAD OF HEALTH ISSUES AND ENCOURAGES OUR COMMUNITY TO BECOME PROACTIVE IN MAINTAINING GOOD HEALTH.

EDUCATION: THE ACT PREPARATORY PROGRAM COVUSES ON PREPARING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS SEEKING HIGHER EDUCATION A MEANS TO LEARN TEST-TAKING SKILLS AND STRATEGIES THAT CAN HELP IMPROVE SCORES ON THE ACT TEST. BY IMPROVING THEIR TEST SCORES, THE STUDENDS CAN IMPROVE THEIR CHANCES IN QUALIFYING FOR THE TOPS OPPORTUNITY AWARD, WHICH IS A STATE-SPONSORED SCHOLARSHIP FOR STUDENTS WHO SCORE 20 OR GREATER ON THE ACT TEST. THIS YEAR 63 STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN THE ACT PREP PROGRAM.

ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT: THE ORGANIZATION CONSIDERS ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT NECESSARY IN CREATING JUST SOCIETIES AROUND THE WOLD. THE ORGANIZATION DEFINES ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT AS THE ABILITY TO BE SELF-DETERMINED IN CREATING DREAMS, PURSUING THEM, AND ULTIMATELY PERPETUATING THEM BY ESTABLISHING THE MECHANISMS TO SUSTAIN GENERATIONAL WEALTH. ANOTHER GOAL OF THE PGROAM IS TO IMPROVE STUDENTS' MATH SKILLS AND INCREASE THERE AWARENESS ABOUT GOOD MONEY MANAGEMENT. RESPECT 4 LIFE: THIS PROGRAM IS AN INITIATIVE THAT ENTAILS A FIVE-MODULE WORKSHOP SERIES DESIGNED TO ENGAGE MINORITY YOUTH, PARENTS, AND LAW ENFORCEMENT PROFESSIONALS IN A COLLABORATIVE DIALOGUE, PROMOTING UNDERSTANDING, HEALING, AND SAFETY. THE PROGRAM TEACHES STUDENTS TO CULTIVATE A HEALTHY RESPECT FOR AUTHORITY FIGURES AT HOME AND SCHOOL. THIS YEAR 156 STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN THE RESPECT 4 LIFE PROGRAM ACROSS 4 DIFFERENT EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH HIGH SCHOOLS.