A new initiative by the Houston Independent School District (HISD) is yielding positive outcomes for Black males who want to pursue a higher education.
Last August, HISD established the Miles Ahead Scholars Program which offers support and mentorship to Black males. The program was piloted at three schools in the district including Evan E. Edward Worthing High School, Kashmere High School and The Wheatley School.
“Each of them have a rich and long legacy in the city,” said Haskel Harvey, senior program manager of the Miles Ahead program. “Although they have been in the media for a lot of negative things, we also know there are a lot of positive things happening in the schools and a lot of talent walking the hallways.”
To gain the funding, Texas state senator Borris Miles secured a grant from the state legislature with the goal of increasing college access among underrepresented students.
“I really want to thank Senator Miles for making this possible,” said Worthing High School principal Khalilah Campbell-Rhone. “Now, we are able to do things that other campuses have done but we didn’t necessarily have the funding or the manpower to do and this program offered us both of those things.”
The first cohort consists of 60 students in 9th and 10th grade and will continue to follow them until they graduate from high school. More grade levels will be introduced as the program progresses. The students were chosen from the top 30% of their class.
Participants were first introduced to the program at a day-long camp over the summer. The logistics and goals of the program were laid out and students had the opportunity to meet and develop relationships with one another.
