African American Male Initiative. Teenage Program


  This initiative is comitted to:

* Encourage the member to always think, act, and 
  self-assess while exploring their highest potential.
* To build and maintain strong coping skills.
* To pursue academic excellence.
* To build self-esteem.
* To improve and enhance effective communication skills.
* To learn and apply conflict resolution techniques.
* To develop and apply career development strategies.

IMPORTANT NEWS!... about the Certificate of Completion or Attendance.

The "Certificate of Completion or Attendance" that is being offered in lieu of high school diplomas is a part of Bush's "No Child Left Behind". This is how it works: It is for students who are unable to pass both the Language Arts and Math portions of the 10th grade ISTEP. Students must take the same 10th grade test over in the 11th and 12th grades until they pass both portions. If they are unable to pass the 10th grade test by the 12th grade then they have two options: 1. Drop out and go to a GED program or, 2. Accept a "Certificate of Completion" - it is NOT a diploma. Once a student accepts it, they cannot ever get a diploma or a GED. A certificate of completion means that a student can never (as long as they live):

Go to the armed services.
Go to college.
Go to trade school.
Go to journeyman's school.
Go to beauty school.
Go to culinary arts school.
Get a federal loan in their lifetime.

This is the portion of NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND (2001) that Bush slipped In during the 2004 revision of the NCLB bill. It has not been publicized. At a high school in Indiana, in 2005, there were 87 seniors in the graduation class. Five got diplomas and 82 got "Certificates of Completion".This is being referred to as the "Paper Plantation". It is better for students to drop out and get into a GED program, so they may be able to seek other forms of education later in life.. All 50 states have "Certificates of Completion or Attendance". Please pass this information along to EVERYONE you know who has school age children. Clergy, please preach it from the pulpits. Our people MUST know this information.