African American Male Mentoring Initiative

The African American Male Mentoring Initiative (AAMMI), funded by the Heinz Endowments, provides mentoring to young males both one-on-one and on a group basis. The mission of NEED’s AAMMI program is to empower at-risk youth in our community to make positive life choices that enable them to maximize their personal potential.

Currently, NEED mentors over 100 young African American males at 8 different school-based sites within the Pittsburgh Public Schools. At these high schools we had a cohort of seniors with extraordinary opportunities who are continuing to matriculate to post-secondary education.

For example:

• Mentees from Oliver High school got the opportunity to study abroad with the French club in Guadeloupe.
• The Valedictorian from Peabody High School’s 2011 last graduating class is an AAMMI mentee.

We often retain mentees as freshmen all the way until their senior year:

• Nearly 100% of our seniors matriculate to college or post-secondary education.
• Over 85% of our senior class is attending post-secondary institutions in state.
• Out of the in state group 23% of are attending colleges within the PASSHE (Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education).
• Our mentees also have a wide range of career paths from college, to the military, to technical schools, etc.
• Overall, the AAMMI program has had 95% of the mentees matriculate to post-secondary education in the last three years.

Measurement Report