First Day of School Set for Success at The B.E.S.T. Academy and Frederick Douglass 9th Grade STEAM Academy
August 1, 2023 – ATLANTA… An annual tradition, 100 Black Men of Atlanta kicked off the first day of school by welcoming the students of The B.E.S.T. Academy, as well as the addition this year of Frederick Douglass 9th Grade STEAM Academy. On Monday, August 1, handshakes and high fives were abundant as members of the 100 Black Men and Emerging 100 lined the entry ways, greeting students as their parents and buses dropped them off. Starting the day, breakfast with the senior class was provided by the Emerging 100 of Atlanta.
“Since its doors opened in 2007, members of 100 Black Men of Atlanta have welcomed new generations of students to The B.E.S.T. Academy as a symbolic gesture of support. It’s exhilarating to see the students’ excitement for the new year and it aligns with our mission ‘What they see, they will be’,” explains Chairman Sidney Barron.
“This year, we are excited to welcome students at Frederick Douglass 9th Grade STEAM Academy, which is another of the organization’s adopted schools. Through mentoring and Project Success, we encourage students to reach academic success and help them develop into educated, contributing members of our community,” added Executive Director Louis Negron.
Started in 1987, Project Success programs provide nurturing, personalized, and concrete support in the form of mentoring and social, emotional and communication skill development, particularly during students’ transition from pre-adolescence to the adolescent phase of their development. Project Success is a nationally recognized post-secondary preparation, tuition assistance, and mentoring program for Atlanta Public Schools (APS) students whereby the 100 Black Men of Atlanta provides tuition-assistance scholarships for all Project Success students who graduate from high school.
The B.E.S.T. Academy is a public all-boys school servicing students from grades 6-12. The total minority enrollment is 100%, and 100% of students are economically disadvantaged. For more info: https://www.atlantapublicschools.us/besths
Frederick Douglass 9th Grade STEAM Academy is Douglass High School’s educational hub for 9th grade scholars that specialize in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics. For more info: https://www.atlantapublicschools.us/douglass
The vision of 100 Black Men of Atlanta, Inc. is to become the city’s strongest, most self-reliant African American volunteer organization focused on education, enrichment and empowerment. A non-profit organization, The 100 provides college preparatory services and mentorship to at-risk Atlanta youth. Civic-minded members dedicate their time and talent as mentors to help boys and girls break the cycles of poverty, under-achievement and violence that plague their communities, thus enabling them to seek their highest potential. Since its inception in 1986, 100% of the students who complete Project Success, the organization’s flagship program, have graduated from high school and 80% have graduated from college in four years, far outpacing the national averages. Project Success is a nationally recognized post-secondary preparation, tuition assistance, and mentoring program for Atlanta Public Schools (APS) students whereby the 100 Black Men of Atlanta provides tuition-assistance scholarships for all Project Success students who graduate from high school. For more info: https://100blackmen-atlanta.org.
