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FROM THE BOOTSTRAPS TO THE VELCRO GENERATION EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Study The Identification of Factors that Facilitate Academic Success of Students From African Descent in American Schools, Colleges and Other Institutions of Higher Education Supported by African American Success Foundation Luretha F. Lucky, Ed.D., Project Director, FIU
Introduction Due to the broad base and significance of this type of study, a preliminary report in the form of an "Executive Summary" is provided to share the results. The literature review revealed a vast amount of research and professional writings that highlighted African-American failures, struggles and problems, but a paucity of research and professional writings existed which documented factors that contributed to the success of African Americans in the academic or professional world. Numerous scholarly writings appeared throughout the literature which reported the shortcomings of students of African descent or showcased the presence of African American students in predominately white institutions of higher education. A significant number of these publications have treated African Americans as "subjects: to be studied and few have presented those of African descent as accomplished people with a rich history to share. There appears to be a prevailing need for published, professional writings and research that share information about the successes and achievements of students of African descent in the academic arena. However, to move ahead, African Americans must engage in research to share information about their successes to provide the supports that are needed to propel our youth forward in this millennium. Based on the published documents and studies, funds were available to study barriers, failures, struggles and problems confronting African Americans in higher education institutions, especially those attending predominately white institutions. Funds are now needed to build on the existing knowledge base and present the successes in higher education institutions and contributions that African Americans have made to the families, schools, communities and other institutions in America and other countries. Popular literature has done more in this area than professional literature. The problem with this scenario is that popular literature is rarely used to push for policies and funding for success programs. Most funding agencies, including the federal government and foundations, look to the academic community, namely institutions of higher education, for leadership in this area. So far, the academic community has not met its obligation to African Americans. There is a need to continue to research and publish information about race, racism, prejudice and other barriers and blockages to African Americans. Yet, there is an equal, if not greater need, to research and publish information that identify and provide youth of African descent strategies to deal with or work around the barriers and blockages that have already been identified as well as those they may encounter as they pursue their academic and professional careers. Review of the Literature The literature reviewed for this study was replete with writings and documentation that focused on barriers to success for African Americans. The information spanned such issues as the struggle for social justice in America and the struggles of equal access to higher education and desegregation; the struggles within predominately white colleges and universities in relation to racial problems that exist at these institutions of higher education; the lack of support from within predominately white institutions of higher education, and the challenges to students to graduate from these universities (Bempechat, 1992; Bird, 1996; Crossland, 1971; D'Augelli & Hershberger, 1993). Many of today's African American youth present a profile of a student attending high school or college who cannot read, write, spell or do math well enough to succeed in school or in the work world (Lucky & Ryan, 1995; Ryan, Lucky & Woods, 1996). There is a general belief among teachers and professors that we need to "fix" these students before they can succeed in their academic studies (Bird, 1996; Lucky & Woods, 1996; McMillan & Reed, 1994; Stikes, 1984). Failure and poor grades occur before intervention or support is firmly in place to help students of African descent to succeed, and in many cases, schools and colleges become barriers rather than means for our students to achieve their goals (Ryan, Lucky & Wooks, 1996). Many Foundations, such as the Ford, Mellon, Rockefeller, and Southern Education Foundations as well as the Federal government have provided resources to study problems African Americans and other minorities experience as citizens of the U.S.A. (Allen, 1986; Bempechat, 1992; Crossland, 1971; Thomas, 1984; Willie, Grady, & Hope, 1991). These studies and writings, many by African Americans, have sufficiently documented the problems, obstacles and barriers experienced by African Americans in their personal, academic and professional lives (Gary & Booker, 1992; Willie, Grady, & hope, 1991). Many of these studies have focused on African Americans who have attended or are currently attending predominately white institutions of higher education (Aires, 1983; Bird, 1996; Crossland, 1971; D'Augelli & Hershberger, 1993; Stikes, 1984); and some have focused primarily on students attending historically black institutions of higher education (Ross, 1998; Thomas, 1984). On the opposite side of the coin, many of these Foundations have provided funds to support African American faculty development at Historically Black Colleges and Universities and predominately white institutions of higher equation (Willie, Grady, & Hope, 1991; Thomas, 1984). With the increase in other minority groups, funds became more difficult to acquire because the argument was no longer that HBCUs are primarily the producers of African Americans with college degrees (baccalaureates). Nonetheless, the availability of these funds provided the resources that generated the vast amount of published information on every aspect of African American students' life, from K-college and beyond (Betz, 1997; Schofield, 1997; Slaughter, 1997; Willie, Grady, & Hope, 1991.) Other barriers that are prevalent in the literature are the names, terminology or conditions collectively used to refer to many African American youth, which include: high risks, at-risks, disadvantaged, under-prepared, economically and socially disadvantage, unemployed, underemployed, lack of parental involvement, disabled, poor achievement and behavioral problems - to name a few (Brewer, 1996; Kozleski, Sands & French, 1993; Murry & Mosidi, 1993; Sirpal, 1996; Stikes, 1984). These references are particularly evident when referring to African American youth and start in the early grades, continue to middle, high school and finally to college (Ryan, Lucky & Woods, 1996). These terms and conditions generally imply poor high school performance, inadequate curriculum studies for college bound students, lack of courses in the science and mathematics areas, exception to admission policies and affirmative action admissions or quotas to institutions of higher education (Dryfoos, 1996; Murry & Mosidi, 1993). However, a scenario that is rarely discussed among professionals is that many African American students have overcome many barriers and blockages in their family, social, personal, and academic lives to succeed in school and traditional institutions of higher education (McMillan & Reed, 1994). Variables, such as resiliency, self-reliance, extracurricular activities, hobbies, creative interests, sports, family support, and internal locus-of-control are seldom mentioned when referring to youth of African descent. Yet, these variables have contributed to the success of African American students in schools and colleges (Geary, 1988; McMillan & Reed, 1994; Werner, 1984; Winfield, 1991).... The purpose of this study was to investigate and document those factors that have facilitated academic successes in youth of African descent. Specifically, the study addressed the question:
Method Participants Participants in this study consisted of youth who participated in a Summer Youth Employment and Training Program (SYETP) at Florida International University. The Summer Youth Employment and Training Program is designed to provide youth between the ages of 14 to 21 opportunities to improve in basic reading, writing, arithmetic and job related performance skills. The youth are engaged in activities designed to improve their competencies and skills to gain meaningful employment and/or to access colleges and universities. Students in this program are from local middle and high schools in Miami-Dade County, Florida. Some of the students are also enrolled in surrounding Community Colleges and four year colleges and universities. Additionally, for comparison, a sample of African Americans students attending surrounding Community Colleges and four year colleges and universities participated in the study. Instrument A questionnaire was constructed and validated to survey and examine factors that contribute to the academic success of the participants in the study. Questions spanned the following: demographic information; coping strategies; academic success strategies; support from parents, family members and significant others; respondents' confidence in their own academic abilities; respondents' rating of their academic abilities; respondents' perception of self; goal setting; and the value placed on education. The questionnaire format was selected because it lends itself more appropriately in collecting the specific information germane to this study. The instrument was easy to complete and required about 20 minutes of the students' time. One hundred fifty-nine questionnaires were mailed and 50 were administered in class. Procedures Three groups of students were used in the study, though the targeted group was the high school students, ages 14-21 who participated in the Summer Youth Employment and Training Program. These groups were utilized to obtain information about success factors that are used in pursuit of their academic careers. Respondents in each group were to complete the questionnaire individually. The results of the study are reported using valid percent data. Results The results of this study are presented as preliminary results. The study is still in progress. Conclusive findings will not be presented until at least two follow-up contacts are completed with the participants. However, significant findings will be shared in this preliminary report. These findings provide indicators of factors that are being used by this group of students as they pursue their academic careers. This study is ongoing: (1) due to the nature of this type of investigation, (2) the follow-up contacts that are needed and will continue with the high school population, (3) the need to generate and publish this type of information, and (4) the need to identify funds to support and conduct this type of research.
Many of the factors identified in the literature as critical for academic success as well as success in other aspects of students' lives were reported by the respondents in this study. Findings from surveying three groups of students, a high school group, a group attending a predominately African American college, and a group from a predominately white university indicated that: (1) those students responding to the study possessed the qualities necessary to be successful in their academic pursuits; (2) that students in high school use similar strategies to achieve academic success as those in college; and (3) students attending a predominately African American college used similar strategies to achieve academic success as those at a predominately white university. The findings for the total group were:
Implications
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