TDNet Discover

The purpose of this capstone project is to examine mentorship as a pathway to empowerment for African American girls affected by father absence and incarceration. Mentorship is defined as a structured relationship that promotes growth through guidance and meaningful connections with supportive adults. The project is guided by social learning theory and resilience theory, which provide a framework for understanding how positive relationships may influence self-efficacy and adaptive responses to adversity. A qualitative secondary data analysis and document analysis design will be utilized to examine scholarly literature, district data, and educational reports related to mentorship and the experiences of African American girls. The primary research question will explore how mentorship may serve as an intervention to support empowerment among African American girls facing familial and social challenges. The setting for the project is Dallas Independent School District, one of the largest urban school districts in Texas. A review of the literature is expected to demonstrate that mentorship contributes to increased school engagement, and a greater sense of belonging among participants. The analysis is anticipated to suggest that sustained relationships with caring adults may help students navigate challenges associated with father absence and incarceration while strengthening resilience and future aspirations. Based on the literature and secondary data analysis, the EmpowerHER Mentorship Program will be proposed as a comprehensive implementation plan designed to provide culturally responsive support and leadership development opportunities for participating students.