National Achievement Society Honors 5,000 African-American Youths

Building a national youth development campaign to prevent substance abuse

Between 1997 and 1999, the National Urban League, New York, launched a national campaign to advance the academic and social development of African-American youth.

The league also planned a national media and outreach initiative to raise public awareness of the importance of structured youth development programs, including extracurricular and after-school programs.

At the start of the grant period, some 29 organizations had signed on as campaign partners for the National Urban League's Campaign for African American Achievement.

Key Results

Under the grant, the National Urban League:

  • Convened a leadership conference in October 1997 attended by more than 230 church leaders, educators and National Urban League affiliates, who developed a joint statement on public education and a strategy for implementing the Campaign for African American Achievement.
  • Inducted more than 5,000 youth into a new, national achievement society.
  • Designated September 1998 as Achievement Month with events organized by National Urban League affiliates around the country. During the month of September 1998, National Urban League affiliates participated in activities to recognize African-American youths' academic and social achievements with award ceremonies and other locally sponsored events.

Funding

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) supported the project with a grant of $495,000 between August 1997 and August 1999.

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