The National Center for Education states that girls have a higher graduation rate at 84 percent while males have a rate of 77 percent. In order to reduce such statistics, the school created an AVID class taught by Coach Keith Howell specifically designed for underclassmen male students.

“They saw the way I worked with my teams and boys on campus,” Howell said. “They thought I would be a good fit for the cause.”

Sophomore Trey Bolton, who decided not to take AVID freshman year, rejoined the program after hearing about Howell’s class.

“I felt like it would be more geared to helping us individually, then as a general (class) like in middle school,” he said.

Freshman Chris Williams said there are benefits to having an all boys’ class.

“Everybody can get along better, and it’s more relaxed,” he said.

Howell said that the impact this class can have is all up to how seriously the students take it.

“I hope that they will become better citizens and students (who are) preparing to excel in high school and college,” he said. “Once they excel in both they will be able to take care of other people besides themselves and carry themselves as respectable, educated men.”

The class seems like a high school fraternity or brotherhood, Bolton said.

“In the class we our brothers, I feel like I have a bigger support system,” he said.

They call themselves: Men With Ambition Taking Charge (MWATC).

“It is like being a part of a brotherhood; you know you have someone to watch your back,” Bolton said.

Howell said he understands from personal experience that the guys are going to deal with situations where they are tempted make negative decisions.

He said, “We all make mistakes, but it’s how you bounce back from that mistake.”