When you visit the website of Urban Prep (www.urbanprep.org) in Chicago you are greeting greeted with the following Mission Statement
“The mission of Urban Prep is to provide a comprehensive, high-quality college preparatory education to young men that results in graduates succeeding in college. This mission is a direct response to the urgent need to reverse abysmal graduation and college completion rates among young men in urban centers, particularly African-American males. Urban Prep’s tailored curriculum is based on the developmental stages and learning styles of boys as well as the unique challenges facing urban youth. The Urban Prep motto is “We Believe.” We believe that our students will shatter negative stereotypes and defy low expectations. We believe that our students can be prepared for and will succeed in college. We believe in the long-lasting impact community support and positive role models can have on our students’ lives. In short, we believe in our students’ futures. At Urban Prep, we believe.”
Research shows that only 1 in 40 African American males will complete college. Urban prep believes that all of their graduates will. The students at Urban Prep face a number of challenges which may seem insurmountable……drugs, gangs, poverty, crime, and the list goes on. The students face a rigorous academic environment and a strict uniform code which consists of black blazers, red ties and khakis.
This year,
100 % of the senior class has been accepted to college.
107 seniors gained acceptance to a total of 72 different colleges, including Northwestern University, Morehouse College, Howard University, Rutgers University, University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana and DePaul University. When students learn that they have been accepted to college, they are allowed to switch their red tie for a red a gold one. The picture below is from a feature story in the Chicago Tribune. 
I am proud of these students and I am very proud of everyone who was involved in making sure that they reached this milestone in their lives. That includes, parents, family, mentors, school administrators and more. There is often so much bad news and negative reporting when it comes to African American male youth. For a change, one of the many positive stories is reported.
GO URBAN PREP!
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