DON’T FALL BY THE WAYSIDE: HELPING ADOLESCENT AFRICAN AMERICAN MALES VALUE EDUCATION THROUGH MENTORING IN A THREATENING ERA

Abstract

The greatest and most persistent lag in academic achievement in the United States is between African American males and all other groups of students. This study was designed to investigate one possible approach to ameliorating the gap: a school-based mentoring program that helps African American males internalize a positive racial-ethnic identity regarding their academic-self competency and possible future-selves. This study 1) examined the quality of 6th grade African American young males experience in a school-based mentoring program, 2) examined the impact of the program in terms of participants’ racial-ethnic identities in their grade point averages, academic achievement, behavior, academic self-efficacy, and possible future selves. Qualitative findings showed the mentees enjoyed the mentoring program as it allowed for meaningful interactions with guest speakers and co-learning with classmates. Academic self-efficacy findings revealed the mentees grew in their understanding that academic work may be rigorous, but persistence is key. For possible future-selves, the mentees were motivated to pursue different career-paths, believed that more things were possible in life, along with being prompted to take school more seriously. Quantitative results showed there were positive increases in the mentees’ perception of their racial ethnic-identity and grade point average. There was also statistically significant data in the academic self-efficacy and possible future-selves. The results of an ANOVA showed a statistically significant difference in the mentees’ academic self-efficacy. The results of an ANOVA showed a statistically significant difference in the mentees possible future-selves. Additionally, the mentees’ possible future-selves Cohen’s d test showed a large effect size.