Alpha Achievers are celebrating 10 years of encouraging academic excellence among ethnic minority male high school students in Howard County, Maryland. The program was started by the historically black fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha, whose efforts have led to reductions in school drop out rates and teenage pregnancy among black youth…

The Baltimore Sun reports:
“It took some time to change the mindset that it wasn’t cool to do well in school,” said an assistant principal at Oakland Mills High School. “Now we have men of color striving to get into the Alpha Achievers.”

The Baltimore Sun reports: "It took some time to change the mindset that it wasn't cool to do well in school," said an assistant principal at Oakland Mills High School. "Now we have men of color striving to get into the Alpha Achievers."

The school's 100 Alpha Achievers are bonded by community service, a code of conduct, a consistent grade point average of 3.0 and above, taking honors, Advanced Placement and gifted-and-talented courses, and social events:

The group’s annual calendar — in which members pose in tuxedos — has become a tradition, with proceeds paying for college scholarships, field trips and operating costs. (Baltimore Sun)

The group's annual calendar — in which members pose in tuxedos — has become a tradition, with proceeds paying for college scholarships, field trips and operating costs. (Baltimore Sun)