African American males are amongst the lowest performing subgroup assessed in the United States. Trauma, poverty, and lack of opportunities are among the most cited reasons for these results. In contrast to the data, there are a host of educators and other stakeholders who work tirelessly to give their students the best chance at success. This study is designed to reveal the strategies these educators use and how they leverage the relationships they have with their students to achieve academic success. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]