By Madeleine O'Neill / madeleine.o'neill@timesnews.com

WEB STORY

Bishop Dwane Brock has announced the establishment of the African-American Boys Academy, a program that will target boys from ages 9 to 12 to "place them on a trajectory to success."

Brock said Tuesday the program will begin June 19 with 60 students under the leadership of Angela Vincent, chief of the Edinboro University Police Department, who will serve as dean.

The announcement came at a discussion on race and criminal justice attended by about 100 community members and leaders. One of Brock's groups, the Eagle's Nest Leadership Corp., presented the discussion with the Erie law firm Knox, McLaughlin, Gornall & Sennett.

Brock, of the Victory Christian Center, said the summer program may eventually become a private school that would serve the same purpose.

Brock said too many young men are on a path toward prison or death.

"The welfare of the community is wrapped up in its ability to stop that trajectory," he said.

Brock said the program will teach participants about African history, as well as life skills such as handling money and conflict resolution. He said the source of the funding for the program is still to be determined, while Vincent said the program has sponsors from the community.

Vincent said applications for the five-week summer program are available online, at the Eagle's Nest's website. Accepted students will be asked to pay a $25 fee, and will be connected with an adult mentor at the conclusion of the program.

Attendees at Tuesday's forum broke into groups to discuss topics including education, policing and employment and their relationship to race.

Several local jurists, including Erie County President Judge John J. Trucilla and U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan Paradise Baxter, spoke at the forum.

Baxter said a federal R.I.S.E. court, or a special court program focused on re-entry services and preventing recidivism, is under consideration for Erie. She said a similar program had been successful in Pittsburgh. R.I.S.E. stands for Reintegration Into Society Efforts.

See Wednesday's Erie Times-News and GoErie.com for more coverage.