BELL is excited to launch a new program in the summer of 2006:
BELL BOYS. In partnership with the
Charles Hayden Foundation, BELL is developing the summer enrichment
program, modeled from BELL
Summer
, to specifically address the interests and needs of Black and Latino boys
the most vulnerable student population.
| Why Boys? |
|
According to standardized test
results, 8 out of 10 Black and Latino boys living in low-income, urban
communities fail to demonstrate proficiency in basic literacy or math skills. |
| |
|
Nationwide, Black boys represent 9% of public school enrollment, but account
for 22% of all expulsions and 23% of all suspensions. |
| |
|
Graduation rates of Black and Latino
males are significantly lower than the
national average. |
| |
|
In 2000, 25% of all
Black and Latino youths ages 16-19 were not in school or employed, nearly twice
the national average and six times the national unemployment rate. |
| |
|
Black and Latino males under 18 are 3.5 times more likely than Whites males to
be incarcerated and are more likely to receive their GED in prison than
graduate from college. |
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| Goals |
|
Develop a new comprehensive summer enrichment program specifically for Black
and Latino boys. |
| |
|
Start with 500 boys in 2006 and grow to make the program available to every boy
in Boston's low-income communities. |
| |
|
Ensure that every child in the program meets BELL's goals for academic gains
and social development. |
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|
Create a "pipeline" of educational and enrichment opportunities for boys from
kindergarten through college. |
| |
|
Establish a replicable model for positively impacting Black and Latino
boys for policy makers and practitioners. |
