The Greater Essex County District School Board has launched a new program to help students of colour graduate.
The new Graduation Coach Pilot Program aims to help high school students who are black, African or Caribbean to improve their academic achievement.
Board Equity Inclusion Officer Rachel Olivero says the board received $112,000 in funding to launch the program until June, and she hopes funding is extended once the results are in.
Olivero says this is about giving the students some options.
"Kids know that they want to do something, but they aren't sure what and for a variety of reasons, our kids of colour may not know what is out there," she says.
The program will also see a Graduation Coach, Dr. Venus Olla, visit all public high schools to work with the students one-on-one, to get them to 'cross the finish line.'
"She is a person who self identifies as a person of Nigerian descent, who looks like them and has the unique knowledge and understanding, experience and challenges that meet racialized students and provides that extra one-on-one support of a kind and caring adult at school," says Olivero.
She adds that the program will also look at the student's credit accumulation, attendance and behaviour.
Olivero says the key to the program is to reduce intolerance and change stereotypes.
It is predicted the attendance and graduation rates will increase as a result of the program.
With files from Patty Handysides