JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Duval County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Nikolai Vitti said young black men really need the help in the classroom. A new program will place 50 role models inside of 10 schools to assist with 500 students, with the hopes to eventually recruit 5,000 students.
Students were dressed in white collared shirts and red ties Tuesday morning as Duval County Schools announced a new mentor program.
"I'm honored to be in this program. I know it's going to open doors I never seen before," said Jahi Simmons.
Simmons is now a part of the hundreds of young minority men who will be paired with mentors.
The national program is called the "5,000 Role Models of Excellence Project," which will provide guidance and educational support in Duval County Schools.
"Every one of our young men have the potential to be a leader," Vitti said.
Vitti said law enforcement and mentors in the community will help keep the young men on track.
"I think when you look at some of the problems leading to crime and violence, we don't always have a consistent male in the lives of some of our boys," Vitti said.
Simmons said he lost the one man in his life he depended on in 2004.
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"I've been missing him, and I couldn't really focused on my school work. I had been trying real hard," Simmons said.
The hope is the mentors will help the students remain focused.
"I think they're going to change my life," Simmons said.
Vitti said the district has more than 100 mentors who are interested in participating.
Vitti said the program has been very successful in Miami-Dade County.
Miami-Dade County supports about 8,000 students and more than 95 percent of the students who begin the program have no additional student code of conduct violations and go on to graduate.
So far, the county's African-American graduation has rate in the county has increased from just over 62 percent in the last three years to just over 66 percent.
African-Africans have also improved college readiness results from 70 to 78 percent in reading and from 39 to 51 percent in math.
But Vitti said the county wants to see more growth.
"In the long term, we're going to see more kids graduating, more kids shy away from crime, and more students not being involved in disciplinary issues at school, and I think student achievement will improve," said Vitti.
The schools that are included are Fort Caroline Middle, DuPont Middle, Jean Ribaut Middle, J.E.B Stuart Middle, Jefferson Davis Middle, Terry Parker, Wolfson, Jean Ribauth, Westside, and Robert E. Lee High Schools.
The program is expected to cost the district about $80,000 for the first year for the uniforms, trips, and day to day operations. The district hopes people will donate to provide the young men with scholarships.
The program will be launched in 10 local high and middle schools, the boys will be in uniform "shirt, tie, slacks" @ActionNewsJax
— Brittany (@BrittanyANjax) September 1, 2015WJAX
