Brothers Empowered to Teach Initiative gets $550K grant

Locally based nonprofit Brothers Empowered To Teach Initiative (BE2T.org) has been awarded a three-year, $550,000 grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to continue the important work of cultivating a new generation of culturally competent classroom teachers of color – especially African-American males. The grant funds will be used over three years to underwrite program costs, including the stipends awarded to the young men and women recruited as BE2T Fellows who provide support as tutors and as classroom assistants inside both New Orleans- and Baton Rouge-area public schools.

The BE2T team recruits college-age students of color – particularly Black males – to explore careers in education utilizing a formula that tackles two key factors that keep Black men from such a path, beginning with retention. As much as 33 percent of college-bound Black males will drop out by sophomore year. Of those who go on to graduate successfully, most don’t consider enrollment in traditional campus Teacher Education programs because they often do not resonate with them. Another issue is that most programs can fall short in preparing classroom teachers that are culturally competent and content-strong. The nonprofit group believes it has to concurrently attach them to school and working with children, plus train them to be incredible teachers.

Brothers Empowered To Teach, co-founded by Larry Irvin and Kristyna Jones, began its mission with just seven fellows in 2014. That number grew last year to over 40 participants assigned between New Orleans and Baton Rouge in 2017.

BE2T Fellowships have placed students of color while attending community colleges, historically Black colleges and universities (HBCU’s) and mainstream schools throughout the region. Fellows major in a variety of disciplines whether pre-med or political science, while all share a common desire to work with youngsters and help them achieve their personal and academic goals.

This article originally published in the December 17, 2018 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.