Parents banded together recently to help a group of eighteen young black men to achieve exceptional success in their high school years. Their efforts led to such stellar accomplishments as a one hundred percent high school graduation rate, a cumulative grade point average of the boys of 3.7, nearly 1.3 million in college scholarships and ninety-two percent of the boys being enrolled in college placement courses.
In a Loudon County, Virginia club designed to see that these young men experienced an exceptional level of achievement, parents were totally immersed and involved in their sons educations from the beginning of high school through graduation day. In spite of the existence of a prevalent racial achievement gap, these parents and young men worked together to beat the odds and enjoy amazing academic success. One of the most famous of the parents involved was Tom Carter, a former corner-back for the Washington Redskins.
This success came with a large price tag in terms of the commitment of parents and all the time and effort expended on their part to assure such success. But for parents and for these young men, the time and effort was well spent. Scholars believe that parental involvement is one of the most crucial factors to the success of children in academics. These parents have proven that by being totally involved in their sons’ academic success that these young men can enjoy an exemplary level of success.
Parents took part not only in seeing that homework was completed in a timely manner, but they also monitored outside distractions such as television viewing, sports participation and social activities. Setting very high academic and personal standards for their sons, along with organizing homework groups and using positive peer pressure proved successful in bringing these young men to a triumphant graduation day.
