meeting dates (2nd and 4th saturday)
The 288th House of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc
10 a.m. – Noon CST
at Prairie State College, 202 South Halsted
Street, Chicago Heights, IL 60411, Room: TBD
JANUARY 14th and 28th
FEBRUARY 11th and 25th
MARCH 11th and 25th
APRIL 8th and 22nd
MAY 13th, 2023
June 3, 2023 – LFT Scholarships and Awards Luncheon
Event highlights
2023 MENTORING & TUTORING PROGRAM
The 288th House of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc
President Barack H. Obama underscored the growing need for trusted adults to step-up and mentor African-American males in issuing his National Mentoring Month Proclamation. We were excited and happy that former President Obama made a call to address this critical urgency in our communities throughout the south suburbs. Black males enrolled in Illinois’s Elementary, Middle, and High Schools continue to underperform in all areas compared to their white and nonwhite counterparts. Opportunities in America for black males remain bleak and more distant from obtaining the American dream.
In 2018 Illinois ranked #7 in education pre-K – 12 but #31 in college-bound students. In Illinois, the [Average Graduation Rate] is 89%. In 2018 the [Average Graduation] Rate for Black males in four (4) yrs. was 72.7% and only 71.8% in five (5) yrs. One-third (1/3) of black males in Illinois drop out of High School.
The call is urgent! We must encourage an extra push of responsible black men who can assist in providing stable environments for our black young men outside of their immediate families. Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc and Theta Mu Lambda Charitable Foundation are passionate about comprehensively addressing the plight of African American males on the local, state, and federal levels. The 2023 Mentoring and Tutoring Program encapsulates both hope and determination for middle and secondary schools located in the south and southwest regions of Cook County.
general mentoring information
The 288th House of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc
The 2023 Mentoring and Tutoring Program, “Silence Is Not An Option,” offers eligible African- American middle school and high school students ten (10) weeks of academic enrichment, developmental leadership skills, prevention awareness, and professional development program activities have been planned to fulfill the following objectives:
1. To provide students with a diverse social and cultural setting that fosters academic and cognitive development, cultural awareness, and intellectual progress;
2. To increase grade point averages and standardized test scores of participating students;
3. To improve and build communication skills;
4. To enhance creative and critical thinking skills
expectations of participants
The 288th House of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc
1. Participants must be mature enough to engage in intensive leadership skills with structured supervision successfully;
2. Participants will be on time for all activities;
3. Participants will follow the rules and regulations established by the program;
4. Participants will follow the instructions of the chaperones and program leaders;
5. Participants will participate fully in all program sessions;
6. Participants will work cooperatively with other participants;
7. Participants will exhibit character and respect for themselves, as well as other participants;
8. Appropriate dress is essential to ensure a professional and mutually beneficial working and learning environment
parent involvement
The 288th House of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc
Research shows that parents actively engaged in their child’s education from cradle to college have a greater
propensity for graduation. Across the Nation, African American males have significantly higher disproportionately dropout rates, suspensions, and expulsions as compared to their white counterparts.
The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), formerly known as the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001, has stringent parental
involvement components woven throughout the core foundation of the legislation; parents are required to be included in timely
and meaningful consultation with all federal programs implemented in the district and school(s). Districts and schools are required to have an
active parent advisory committee and annual parent policy.
According to Education Week (2007), between one-third and one-half of minorities do not earn a high school diploma. Research indicates that the
children most likely to benefit from interventions are those at the most significant risk. The U.S. graduation rate crisis is not fueled by students who lack the potential or desire to graduate but rather by secondary schools that are not organized to prevent students from falling off the path
to graduation or to intervene when they do (Educational Leadership, 2007)
empowering parents
The 288th House of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc
Parents must participate in 1-3 sessions, one Mathematics, one Reading/Language Arts, and one developmental workshop with their
son(s). However, parents are encouraged to visit and observe participants’ interactions. A comprehensive schedule will be shared with all parents throughout the program.
Building Capacity With Families And Communities:
1. Assist with fund-raising efforts; therefore, graduating students with a (3.2) or above will be eligible for financial support (i.e., a book stipend or scholarship ranging from $500-$1000 their senior year);
2. Transport participants to activities;
3. Participate in at least three sessions/life skill training with participant