P R E S S R E L E A S E 100 BLACK MEN OF LOS ANGELES TAKES ON NEW INITITATIVES TO ADDRESS THE EDUCATIONAL STATUS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENTS IN CALIFORNIA

 

 

As Young Black Scholars (an educational activity of the 100 Black Men of Los Angeles) continues its mission of helping students realize their dreams of attending college, the 100 Black Men of Los Angeles have also taken on the following three initiatives:

• Enhance the Young Black Scholars Program to increase its yield of African American high school students in the state who are college eligible;
• Develop a statewide coalition of stakeholders whose focus will be to raise public awareness about the educational status and needs of African Americans in California, and to develop a strategy for improving educational outcomes for African American students in the state;
• Co-sponsor the public release of the publication title Stony the Road We Trod as an initial step toward building public awareness.

The cost of undertaking the above initiatives will be supported by a grant in the amount of $112,000 from The James Irvine Foundation.

The Young Black Scholars (YBS) Program is a youth focused educational activity of the 100 Black Men of Los Angeles, Inc. The program’s mission is to enhance the academic performance of African American youths through enrichment workshops and activities that support and prepare scholars for University admissions and success. It is the goal of Young Black Scholars to encourage African American students to excel academically and thus becomes eligible for admission to colleges and universities throughout the United States. What began as a pilot program in 1986, has flourished into nationally known program that has serviced more than 15,000 youths in the past 15 years. The James Irvine Foundation is an independent grant making foundation dedicated to enhancing the social, economic, and physical quality of life throughout California, and to enriching the State’s intellectual and cultural environment.

The Foundation was established in 1937 by James Irvine, the California pioneer whose 110,000-acre ranch in Southern California was among the largest privately owned land holdings in the State. With assets of $1.5 billion, the Foundation makes grants of approximately $71 million annually for the people of California. For more information, please visit www.irvine.org.