School district aims to help 9th-grade boys


October 9, 2007 at 8:57p.m.

School district aims to help 9th-grade boys

YOUNGSTOWN — The city school district is launching a “BOAT” designed to encourage ninth-grade boys to achieve academically and graduate from high school.

Beating Our Achievement Gap Together — or BOAT — will be funded with a $545,632 state grant that is renewable for a second year at the same funding level.

Dawud W. Abdullah, safe and drug free schools manager for the district, told the school board today the program is part of Gov. Ted Strickland’s initiative to address the graduation and achievement of all first-time ninth-grade males in general, and black male teens specifically.

That’s the group most at risk for dropping out of high school, he said.

For the complete story, see Wednesday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com.