Bowling Green Junior High School will expand its Black Male Scholars Program to include seventh graders in the 2022-23 school year.

The program is in its first year and has 20 sixth graders participating.

Five more spots with be available for next school year’s seventh graders, raising the total in that class to 25, and a new enrollment will be offered to 25 incoming sixth graders. The school is accepting applications for the future participants.

Program coordinator Gambia Flemister said the expansion will help the school reach more students and provide them with a strong support system.

She said the goal is to have 50 total students enrolled in the program in the fall.

“The reason why the program was created is typically our African American males perform lower due to a myriad of reasons,” Flemister said. “This program ensures they have support, and it creates extra services for students. We hope it eventually grows to eighth grade here and we can serve up to 80 students at that point.”

The overall initiative is intended to have curriculum and content taught through the lens of African American history and culture supplemented with field trips and frequent guest speakers.

Flemister said the program also provides social and emotional group sessions with a licensed therapist, transition and career interest activities, and a sense of belonging for students with mentoring and caregiver support.

“One of the things I really appreciate about the program is that we also enroll families,” she said. “The stronger the family, the stronger the student. Our job is to prepare them for life. They are getting the support at school and at home.”

Specifically, caregivers of each scholar participate in monthly “Parent Cafés” that address their individual needs and create a fellowship among parents.

Families also meet individually with a licensed therapist.

“The students really learn community,” Flemister said. “They realize the things they do effect the whole. They talked about how much they loved learning their history. They were able to do African ancestry DNA tips so they can see where their ancestors are from, and they are really excited about that.”

BGJHS Principal Robert Lightning said in a news release the program is “uniquely designed to fit student needs academically and socially, but have them still very much part of Bowling Green Junior High.”

Applications are due to elementary school counselors by March 4, with interviews to be scheduled March 7-11. Applications are at www.bgreen.kyschools.us/BGHS/News/blackmalescholars.

Flemister said interviews will start March 14.

– Follow reporter John Reecer on Twitter @JReecerBGDN or visit bgdailynews.com.