NFL First and Goal program puts academics first at city school
By Kim Dacey
The Douglass Ducks spend a lot of time on the field practicing and playing during the football season, but they don't want that to distract from their academics.
One new program helps keep the focus on graduation.
The marching band at the Academies at Frederick Douglass High School helped kick off a new program Thursday to help football players on their way to college.
"(We provide) academic support, getting ready for college life, skills, programming different aspects, but the main goal is graduation," academic coach Michelle Harper said.
With help from the Family League of Baltimore and money from the NFL, Harper is the new academic coach for the team as part of the pilot program First and Goal. She's working with them after school and on weekends to keep them on track off the field.
"We work on our academics, try to get a high GPA and get into college," junior Donnell Jackson said.
"She makes sure we keep our grades up for school and be prepared for the SAT and the HSA because we got Saturday school. She makes sure she puts the hammer down and make sure we get to it," senior Daquan Roberts said.
Harper will work with the student athletes, even in the off season, toward the goal of graduation and getting into college, not only working on specific subject areas, but also prep for the Maryland High School Assessment tests and the SATs, as well as guiding them on college applications
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