Frequently Asked Questions.

How can I become a Black Diamond Academic Success member?

Becoming an official member of the Black Diamonds is only available to students registered in specific school districts. Our list of schools is ever growing and students will be notified by the district if/when we set up a chapter. If you believe this program needs to be in your school, please e-mail us via MMcDonaldBDAS@gmail.com so we can add it to our list of prospective districts. We look forward to having you become apart of our BDAS family!

How can I become a Black Diamonds Academic Success volunteer?

We are actively looking for volunteers to serve as brand ambassadors as our program gains more traction with school districts in New York. We require all volunteers to undergo a mandatory background check and follow strict guidelines as you represent the Black Diamonds brand. Every district will have a total of two brand ambassadors that will comply with weekly meetings, maintain monthly reading lists, and monitor all member’s grade point averages. Please reach out to us for more information on how to serve as mentors to our BDAS members.

How can I donate to the Black Diamonds Academic Success program?

We have made it easy for people to support and contribute to our ongoing efforts by allowing all donations to be made here. Our tax-exempt organization is listed as a 501c3 with the state of New York and we appreciate any funds that will allow our non-profit to continue to grow organically.

Are teenage girls allowed to participate in the program?

At this time, our program is specifically tailored to uplift and encourage young men of color, as they are the demographic that are lagging the furthest behind in regards to the achievement gap. We do, however, hope to expand in the future and make our program inclusive to all teens of color.