Baltimore BORN

What is Baltimore BORN?

Baltimore BORN — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 15:02:20 +0000

Baltimore BORN was created in response to the realization that there exist a huge number of young men who have the talent and potential to succeed, but they lack the opportunities, resources, and networks to sustain them as they struggle onward through the problems of overburdened families, failing schools, street violence, and the illusory appeal of the street. Admitting boys in their fifth grade year and following them until their expected matriculation to college, Baltimore BORN works in its afterschool program to improve academic performance through developing reading comprehension and critical writing and thinking skills. Baltimore BORN also endeavors to support youth in Baltimore as they navigate the social obstacles they inevitably will confront. Our aim is to build their capacities for conflict resolution, public service, and moral reasoning, while encouraging them to achieve a healthy critical relationship to received ideas of manhood and masculinity that have led many young men astray. Finally, Baltimore BORN seeks to provide a strong support network by forging constructive partnerships among all stakeholders in our students’ success, exposing our young men to new experiences and opportunities, and helping their families place their children in the best possible institutions to succeed. Our belief is that with the right long-term support, the boys of Baltimore BORN will grow into young men whose commitment to rigorous thought, active citizenship, and considerate manhood will serve them well on their respective paths to truly successful and meaningful lives.

A bright future for a local senior

Baltimore BORN — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 15:42:36 +0000

Cedric Jefferson, a recent graduate from Morgan State, who had a troubled youth, has endured many challenges in his life. However, he can now claim to be the first of his family to graduate from college and will continue his well earned successes at the FBI.

Click to read the entire article

City junior wins full scholarship

Baltimore BORN — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 15:30:15 +0000

A junior at W.E.B. Du Bois high school in Baltimore was awarded a full, four year, $50,000 scholarship at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair to the Florida Institute of Technology. His award-winning research explores using the center of gravity of robots with mechanical arms to prevent their malfunction and maintain their balance. The hope is that this research will be able to one day be used to help prevent automobiles from tipping over, and saving countless lives.

Click to read the full story

*photo credit: Lloyd Fox, Baltimore Sun

Federal Hill students cut waste

Baltimore BORN — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 14:47:33 +0000

Students at Baltimore’s Federal Hill Preparatory School have launched an extensive waste management program, where the students have learned about the trash we accumulate and more environmentally friendly ways to deal with it. The goal is to spread the message of the program from schools to homes, and then to the broader Baltimore community.

Click to read the full article

*Photo Credit: Kim Hairston, Baltimore Sun

Mentoring group wins award

Baltimore BORN — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 15:52:18 +0000

100 Black Men, is a national program comprised of positive, black male mentors. A chapter in Lubbock, Texas, was recently given some high honors. Their slogan is simple: “[kids] can be anything they want to be if they hang around with good company.”

Click to read the entire article

Will Jonathan Graduate?

Baltimore BORN — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 14:58:31 +0000

Part of the Washington Post’s 2007 investigation into problems and solutions in the D.C. school system. This article explores the challenges of one young black man struggling to graduate high school.

Click to view the full article.

High Poverty Public Schools

Baltimore BORN — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 15:38:05 +0000

The 2010 special analysis from the National Center for Educations Statistics that looks into the characteristics of high poverty public schools. Who attends them? Who teaches in them? And what are the outcomes?

Link to the report here

Baltimore BORN visits the Greensboro Four

Baltimore BORN — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:52:35 +0000

On Thursday, February 4^th, the boys of Baltimore BORN went on their first field trip. It was an amazing day, which will undoubtedly have a lasting impression on all who attended. The trip was made possible by the wonderful staff at The Smithsonian National Museum of American History (NMAH) who invited our students to an exclusive opportunity for local students to meet and experience living history. The three surviving members of the Greensboro Four, Jibreel Khazan (formerly Ezell Blair, Jr.), Franklin McCain, and Joseph McNeil participated in an oral history about their bold action that ignited student involvement in the Civil Rights Movement when they staged a sit-in at the Woolworth lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina on February 1, 1960. The four men were only freshman at North Carolina A&T University when they began the movement that would lead to the desegregation of that particular lunch counter and sparked a student movement that spread across the nation.

The program also featured an oral history by Christopher W. Wilson, Director of the Museum’s Program in African American Culture, excerpts from the Museum’s Historic Theatre programs, Sing for Freedom and the award winning Join the Student Sit Ins, and an opportunity for students to engage in conversation with the Greensboro activists.

In addition the main portion of the program the boys also had the opportunity to partake in a mock sit-in and learn what it was like for the brave men and women who tolerated seemingly unbearable conditions to help grant all people of color their basic civil rights.

Lastly, the museum staff gave the boys a special tour of the Star Spangled Banner exhibit, where they learned all about the significance of the American flag and all of its ties to Baltimore. Like our boys, the flag was truly Baltimore born.

We owe a tremendous thank you to the staff at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, and all the school principals, teachers, and parents who understood the significance of this opportunity and allowed us to take the boys out of school on a Thursday. Most of all we thank the boys of Baltimore BORN. The boys, who are all 5^th graders, were the only students younger than high school invited to attend this program at the museum. They were kind, thoughtful, considerate and brilliant and made the staff of Baltimore BORN very proud!

Baltimore BORN Pilot Program launched at two sites in January of 2010!

admin — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 00:36:29 +0000

The mission of Baltimore BORN is to provide boys the support and services necessary to succeed, flourish and become the men they want and deserve to be. The founder of the program is Baltimore Raven Domonique Foxworth. Domonique knows that if not for the high expectations of him coupled with opportunities, resources and networks provided by those around him while he was growing up, he would not enjoy the success he does today. Through Baltimore BORN he will provide a strong, academically challenging, culturally enriching, and opportunity filled program to boys in their formative years so they too can achieve their dreams. It is our goal that the boys enrolled in BORN stay with us through graduation from high school. To achieve this mission, participants in Baltimore BORN will:

1. Develop critical thinking, writing and speaking skills

2. Learn to successfully work independently and in groups

3. Thoughtfully evaluate ideas of manhood in our society

4. Encounter new experiences and see these experiences as opportunities for personal and community growth

5. Draw on a network of professional and personal support in a journey toward college graduation

6. Participate in public service projects that demonstrate an understanding of contemporary problems in Baltimore and beyond

All research shows that quality after-school programs for middle school aged boys is important for both academic and social success. One of the other success indicators for African American boys* is access to strong male role models. Baltimore BORN was designed to have a very small staff/volunteer to student ratio. The men running the program are all exemplary role models and will be interacting with the program participants on a regular basis.

Baltimore BORN is honored to be partnering with two Baltimore City Public Schools for the pilot program. Both Baltimore School for the Arts and Dr. Bernard Harris Elementary have been very generous with their time, space and resources and we are thrilled to be working with students from TWIGs at Baltimore School for the Arts and fifth grade students from Dr. Bernard Harris. In return, the schools are happy to be partnering with an outside program that can help supplement the hard work they do during the school day.

Throughout the past sixth months, the Executive Board of Baltimore BORN has done a great deal of research to create a program that was truly needed in Baltimore. Prior to the launch we were able to reach out to all those that helped us in the planning stages and offer details of what BORN will provide to its participants.

David Miller, Co-Founder of the Urban Leadership Institute in Baltimore commented on the launch of BORN:

“This is much needed work in Baltimore. Often the academic and social issues that young Black males face in Baltimore have been topics of numerous discussion yet little action. Whether it’s the alarming graduation rates among young Black males, college matriculation rates and homicide/non-fatal injuries, Baltimore needs more non-traditional approaches to engage boys. I applaud your actions and steps!”

The links below highlight some of the research done in this area. We invite you to read the research and to contact Baltimore BORN directly with any questions about our specific program.

*Please note that while Baltimore BORN is a single sex program it does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, ethnicity or sexual orientation. There are many references to African American boys and that is because the large majority of the boys eligible for Baltimore BORN(based on geography, schools attended and income) identify themselves as African American.

“Why Minority Students Don’t Graduate From College” Newsweek Article by Evan Thomas & Pat Wingert

Baltimore BORN — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 01:00:27 +0000

American universities are accepting more minorities than ever. Graduating them is another matter.

For the full article please click HERE