From our humble beginnings of 12 charter members over 27 years ago we have grown to more than 50 young men (ages 6 to 17) each Saturday. Each young man knows he is expected to earn a college degree. We have partnered with Washington University and other local universities to provide tutoring to each young man every month, along with other meaningful support. The program has a 100% high graduation rate and 100% of our high school graduates attend college. Since our founding in 1984, five St. Paul Saturday Men have graduated cum laude (“with honors”) from Morehouse College, Dr. Harrison’s alma mater
Saturday Boys Academy Mission is to help young African American males become strong, intelligent and responsible young men with a healthy sense of self-esteem and self-worth.
In 1984, Dr. William J. Harrison, a prominent educator, realized a need for a male mentoring program in the St. Louis, MO area, Saturday Boys Academy (SBA) was established. SBA started meeting weekly with eight African American young males that ranged from the ages of 8 yrs to 16 yrs of age. Dr. William J. Harrison, an award winning educator, national known historian, humanitarian, and active member of the A.M.E. Church community. Dr. Harrison, who died in June, 1994, strongly believed that young Black men, need, desire, and deserve a chance in life. Saturday Boys Academy is a supplement to the family, church, and community. Members are to learn that ultimately, each man is responsible for his own development and growth. We provide a set of programs and activities to give specific training, experience, instruction and examples to achieve our purpose. Fundamentally, Saturday Boys Academy is a community program with no religious affiliation requirements for young men to participate.