Theses and Dissertations

Date of Award

2016

Document Type

Dissertation - NSU Access Only

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education

Advisor

Matthew Delaney

Committee Member

Anne Joslin

Keywords

community, education, mentoring, minority, role models, school

Abstract

The purpose of this applied dissertation study was to determine the effect of a mentoring program, the 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project, on eighth-grade graduation rates of minority male students at one middle school in South Florida. An achievement gap exists between minority and majority male students in this school district indicating a need for an intervention program for those minority males at risk of dropping out of school. Such a program would serve minority males by providing a positive role model in their lives. The 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project was utilized at this middle school in South Florida to assist minority students in forming positive relationships as they transitioned to high school. For this study, 20 parents and 20 mentors from one middle school were surveyed about their satisfaction with the program. Students were surveyed about their perceptions of the program and its impact. Students’ graduation rates were obtained from official school records and broken down by ethnicity. Students and parents were encouraged to continue their participation in the mentoring program, which provided the participants with additional resources in and out of school. The results of the study revealed improvement in graduation rates among minority male eighth-grade students enrolled in the 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project as compared to minority male eighth-grade students who did not participate in the mentoring program. Parents and mentors reported that the program assisted the students in achieving better academic and conduct grades in school. The study demonstrated the positive impact of the project on eighth-grade minority males in one middle school in Florida.

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