"Boys Becoming Men of Distinction"
Overview
A pilot of the Project MALE Program (Making Aspiring Leaders Excel) began February 22, 2014 for approximately 100 male students between the ages of 5 - 17, or grades Kindergarten through Junior High and above. The Pilot Program culminated on June 14, 2014. The next full session of Program MALE began in October 2014 and culminated in June 2015. The 2018 - 2019 Program Year kicked off on Saturday, October 13, 2018 on the campus of the University of Texas at Dallas, 7300 University Hills Blvd, Dallas, TX.
The Project MALE Program is a collaborative effort of various organizations in Southern Dallas County united to create a student success program for African-American males in the Kindergarten through Junior High School.
Project MALE leaders have designed 2-3 hour monthly sessions connected to program objectives delivered through five (5) content areas: (1) education, (2) social, (3) history/cultural, (4) self-management, and (5) healthy lifestyles. Students also engage in field trips, career fairs, and a visit to a college. Students also participate in financial literacy activities and at least one community service project (e.g., cards and socks for veterans). Typically for any Program Year, monthly sessions are held on designated Saturdays at a specified location.
Typically, there are separate sessions for students and parents. Historically, the parent sessions have provided helpful information to parents for relating to their young boys, financing their college education, and maintaining healthy eating and lifestyles, etc.
Men mentors and other volunteers come from area school districts and organizations, including churches and fraternities. The mentors and volunteers participate in character and leadership building activities that enhance the success of these young males. The objectives of Project MALE are aligned with the state of Texas Core student learning outcomes and include an emphasis on personal and social responsibility. The success of Project MALE is measured through both quantitative and qualitative means.
The brand for the Project MALE Program is "Boys Becoming Men of Distinction". This brand is used by all participating organizations. Methods for documentation and reward for student participation are identified. Learning objectives, connected to the state of Texas Core objectives, is the guide for all programming and curriculum development.
Goals
Project MALE's goals are:
-- Personal Responsibility: To include the ability to connect choices, actions, and consequences to ethical decision-making.
-- Social Responsibility: To include intercultural competence, knowledge of civic responsibility, and the ability to engage in regional, national, and global communities.
-- Critical Thinking: To read and review data to define and solve problems.
-- Personal Responsibility: To include the ability to connect choices, actions, and consequences to ethical decision-making.
-- Social Responsibility: To include intercultural competence, knowledge of civic responsibility, and the ability to engage in regional, national, and global communities.
-- Critical Thinking: To read and review data to define and solve problems.
Grade Levels
Program sessions are split among the following grade levels:
-- Kindergarten thru 2nd Grade
-- 3rd Grade thru 5th Grade
-- Junior High and Above
-- Kindergarten thru 2nd Grade
-- 3rd Grade thru 5th Grade
-- Junior High and Above