MALE ROLE MODELS—From left: Carlito Seymour, Judge Joe Williams and Kevin Carter.
When Carlito Seymour was a freshman in high school he had a 2.2 GPA and no plans for his future. Now, a senior at Sto-Rox High School, Seymour has a 3.3 GPA and is looking at colleges, an accomplishment he attributes to the Adonai Center for Black Males, a human capital development program serving youth throughout the region.
“My grades were horrible. I was acting up,” Seymour said. “(The Adonai Center) taught me how to be a leader. It taught me how to be better in school. It’s impacted me a lot. I always knew I had the potential to be a great student, but without this program I don’t know how I would’ve done.”
The Adonai Center is a nonprofit organization serving at-risk African-American males ages 14-24. The four-year program for young men entering the 9th grade includes academic enrichment, vocational and employability skills, life skills training, and leadership development.
“African-American males have been disadvantaged for decades. In this region, we’ve seen a decline in the success of African-American males,” said Kevin Carter, Adonai’s founder and CEO. “They need help. Just like there are other programs for homeless children, autistic children or women, it’s important to have a program for African-American males. The need for our program is tremendous.”
Founded in 2005, the program has served more than 500 young men and decreased disparities in education and employment. Of those the Adonai Center has served, 87 percent have seen an increased in academic achievement. The program also boasts a 100 percent graduation rate for students who stay in the program at least two years.
“As a fellow African-American male in the struggle, I was exposed to a lot of opportunities growing up that other Black males weren’t exposed to,” Carter said. “I was tired of not seeing other Black males have access to these opportunities so I wanted to change that dynamic.”
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Adonai Center fellows with Rev. Jesse Jackson.
In June, the Adonai Center took a group of students to Washington, D.C., where they were able to meet with Rev. Jesse Jackson. This week, 20 students in the program will be going on a college tour to visit seven colleges and universities.
Participants in the program have the opportunity to interact with positive male role models who serve as mentors. With the help of corporate partners, they also have the opportunity to explore different career fields and potential employment.
“You see summer job rates for youth declining throughout the region. So you have these kids out here getting in to trouble and looking for other ways to make money,” Carter said. “I’m looking at helping the next generation. We put in a lot of time to really cultivate and develop the talents of these young men so they too have a chance at the American dream.”
While the Adonai Center started as a summer program for approximately 50 students, it has grown to a year-round operation working with students in several different schools throughout Allegheny County. The Center’s initial funding came from a $25,000 grant from the Richard King Mellon Foundation five years ago. Now they receive their funding from private donors.
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