Does a Positive Male Role Model Affect the Achievement of Adolescent African-American Males? A Case Study

African-American males are at risk. A continuous cycle of low academic achievement, low academic attainment, and high incarceration rates threaten to end the lives of many of these young men one way or another. There are many challenges faced by African-American men that have caused economic opportunities to evade these young men. The concern is whether families, educators, and communities can help every African-American male achieve at a higher level in order to participate in better economic opportunities. This qualitative case study is designed to help families, educators, and community leaders understand and help African-American males achieve academically, close the achievement gap, and graduate from high school. This study will address many of the factors that contribute to the low academic achievement, low educational attainment, low graduation rate, high unemployment, and high incarceration rate of African-American men. This study is intended to give educators the knowledge that could help African-American boys increase their educational attainment that would lead to greater economic opportunities for these young men. There must be some changes made in how African-American male students are engaged, motivated, prepared, and supported as they move toward graduation. Leaving high school with a diploma is no guarantee of a successful and productive life; however, a high school graduate is more likely to avoid unemployment, poverty, and possible incarceration