It Takes A Village

My formal proposal for my thesis is due this Friday. Over the course of this week I have been making revisions to my proposal and I have recieved awesome feedback from my mentor and advisers. I would like to thank Dr. Huberta Jackson Lowman, my mentor, who has been beyond helpful throughout the early stages of this project. Doctors Marilyn Barnett, Jerome Taylor, and Stan Thompson have also helped me in countless ways. I cannot forget about Ms. Constance Horton, the director of FAME, who has also been immensely helpful throughout the early stages of my thesis project. Without their help I'm not sure where I would be. I am forever greatful that these accomplished individuals are willing to help me.

Summer Reading

I'll be honest, I have yet to even look at the summer reading list for next school year, but I have done a fair amount of reading in relation to my senior thesis. So far I have read Whited Out by Anthony Pittman, Academic Competition Among Students of Color by David A. Bergin and Helen C. Cooks, and Beyond Self Concept and Self-Esteem: Racial Identity and Gifted African American Students By: Tarek C. Grantham and Donna Y. Ford

Each piece of literature has been extremely insightful and has helped me frame my hypothesis. I currently predict that the lack of Black culture exhibited in extra cirriculur activities and in the academic cirriculum, in addition to an absence of Black faculty members and mentors cause "academic underachievement" among Black students and White students which is shown in the discrepancy among White and Black males enrolled in Honors and AP classes at Central Catholic.

The Problem

My last post mentioned my senior thesis, but did not fully explain what I plan to do. Here's my problem statement.

At Central Catholic there is a huge discrepancy in Black and White male academic achievement. This is evident not only in the average GPA's of the respective races, but also in the number of Black students enrolled in Honors classes. Using Central Catholic's graduating class of 2011, I plan to write an original research paper which examines the question, "Why is there a discrepancy Black and White Central Catholic students enrolled in Honors and AP classes?"

Hello, Good Morning

Greetings, I've decided to create another blog to replace the now defunct Garbage Time. Unlike my last blog this one will not strictly be a sports blog, but will focus on my senior thesis studying the opportunity gap between Black and White students in Honors classes at Pittsburgh Central Catholic High School. Here my quick thoughts will be published, in addition to ideas I may not be able to use in my study. Nevertheless, this will not strictly be a blog for my senior thesis. I will post some things that pertain to sports and pop culture. Hope you enjoy!