TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — Over the last 30 years, Florida A&M University has helped thousands of young Black men channel potential into success in the classroom and adulthood.
Their Black Male College Explorers program started in 1990 as a way to prevent at-risk Black males from dropping out of high school.
Students start as early as seventh grade and stay with the program through high school graduation.
Three decades later the program is still as relevant as when it was founded.
“To help them to develop a plan for life beyond high school,” said program director Errol Wilson. “Our hope is that plan includes a post-secondary educational experience. You and I understand the importance of that. But if it does not, to prepare them to enter the workforce and be successful.”
The program offers six weeks of instruction in math, science, language arts, mentoring, and academic planning.
Traditionally in their face-to-face model, this program serves students in up to 16 counties. With everything moving online because of COVID-19 it’s helped them increase their reach.
“The development of our online aim higher virtual platform will allow us to reach every single county in the state of Florida and beyond,” said Wilson.
