FRIENDS of BOMLA: Impact Today! 

Each and every day, no matter where they may be, our young men are living up to the challenge of “Impact Today!” by exemplifying the values of the BOMLA student experience: academia, brotherhood, character, and perseverance. And it’s an experience that our young men deeply cherish.

As the organization which is dedicated to supporting the educational success of BOMLA students, FRIENDS of the Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy invests in and empowers these endangered young men, in order to develop leaders and role models for our community. We support an academically rigorous, character-based, single-gender education that includes rich experiences outside of the classroom. In doing so, we champion a replicable model for Dallas ISD and other school systems to benefit increasing numbers of students.

In short, we envision achievement without limits. We are committed to building a supportive community around our students, to close the opportunity gap and help them access the tools and resources they need to pursue their passions and realize their full potential. During this season of gratitude, we are thankful for all of the donors, supporters, and advocates who have supported our work to champion the next generation of role models and community leaders—of young men who will one day change the world.

What makes BOMLA special? According to Principal Jackson, “When you come into this building, you can feel the difference. Instead of having doors closed on you, you’re opening new doors, you’re opening new opportunities.” 

Since its founding in 2011, BOMLA students have collectively earned over $8 million in college scholarships, with approximately 30 students in each graduating class. They have been accepted into prestigious institutions all over the nation, from colleges close to home to programs in line with their interests and close to their hearts. And every step of the way, our BOMLA alumni are blazing a trail for all of the young men who aspire to follow in their footsteps. Graduates like Earl Potts Jr. and Taylon Owens credit their time at BOMLA for preparing them for their future. 

In 2011, Earl Potts Jr. graduated from BOMLA as a member of the first graduating class of young men to attend the Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy from 6-12 grade. He attended the University of Texas at Austin where he studied Computer Science and African & African Disaspora Studies.

Earl also served as an officer for the Association of Black Computer Scientists. The purpose of this campus organization is to create a community and increase the number of Black students in Computer Science. Morevover, he developed and released Keep Austin Black, a mobile application for Black-owned businesses. He graduated from UT Austin in the Spring of 2022 and is currently working as a software engineer at Dropbox in Los Angeles.

Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy’s 2017 Valedictorian Taylon Owens received the Barry Scholarship for an opportunity to study at the University of Oxford in the Fall. As a Prairie View A&M Honors Program student, Taylon looks forward to continuing his graduate studies. 

The Barry Scholarship is an academic prize awarded to students for their dedication to academic vocation and the pursuit of Truth. Only 10 students across the country were selected. As Taylon heads to Oxford, he hopes to enter the workforce in the oil and gas industry.

Brother Alexander Medina is a senior who has aspirations of becoming a psychiatrist. He was recently nominated to attend the National Academy of Future Physicians and Medical Scientists Camp next summer. He has over a 3.5 GPA. High-achieving and deserving high school students are selected to become Delegates of the Congress of Future Medical Leaders by parents, teachers, and other educational avenues. Student Delegates are screened through an application process that includes GPA verification. Academically superior high school students are honored for their dedication, talent, and leadership potential in medicine.

During the 3-day camp students will:

• Come face-to-face with some of the greatest living minds in medicine, like Stephen Ray Mitchell, M.D., Dean at Georgetown School of Medicine for 20 years with Delegates
• Make long-term friendships with those who share your dreams and passion with delegates at the Congress
• View surgery and submit questions for the surgeon to answer in real-time

FRIENDS is able to send Alexander on this amazing opportunity with the support of our donors.

At FRIENDS of Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy, we are proud of our alumni and celebrate their many successes. But more than that, as we watch them embark on their brilliant careers, we are overjoyed to see how they’re becoming the leaders and role models for the next generation of our students.

There is something truly remarkable about the students we serve. Or, as BOMLA teacher Aaron Moore says, “when they put on that blazer, put on that tie, they embody what it means to be a BOMLA male.” And by funding college visits, study abroad trips, teacher training, and equipment needs, the FRIENDS of Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy is helping students bridge the opportunity gap to pursue and achieve excellence.

Because of the generous support of our community, we are able to connect our young men with educational opportunities and enrichment experiences. We want our students to experience the success they richly deserve. That’s why at the Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy, says BOMLA teacher Kerri Mashall, “You do have the audacity to hope. Here you do. You do have the audacity to succeed. Here you do”

During this season of gratitude, we invite you to make a year-end gift to help us invest in the dreams and aspirations of our young men today!