Wichita State University
WSU & USD 259 BAASE: Better Academics and Social Excellence
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What is BAASE
BAASE is an acronym for "The Better Academic and Social Excellence." A USD 259 College and Career Club that is a fraternity of 7th-9th grade boys, which chapters at all of the Wichita middle and high schools, who are striving for academic and social excellence.
Program focus includes:
- Building Positive Peer Groups
- Closing AP/Honors Participation Gaps
- Preparing Young Men to be Future Ready Leaders
Their motto is, “IT’S COOL TO BE SMART.”
A BAASE 2020 Welcome
WSU and Wichita USD 259 BAASE College Grad Chat
July 31, 2020
Wichita State’s expanded partnership with USD 259 creates new opportunities for young men of color
March 3, 2020
In support of their shared goals, Wichita State University and Wichita Public Schools (WPS) have expanded a partnership to create a stronger system of support for African American and Hispanic students who want to pursue post-secondary education.
The partnership started in 2018 between Wichita State and the Wichita Public Schools (WPS) program, Better Academics and Social Excellence (BAASE). BAASE was created by William Polite, executive director of Diversity and Equity for Wichita Public Schools, and kicked off with nearly 500, 7th and 8th grade scholars with a 3.25 GPA or better, no office referrals and strong attendance. The program aims to create a positive peer group of males of color and encourage scholastic achievement.
Now an expansion to that partnership will focus on those BAASE members as they continue into high school.
VISION STATEMENT
Through the Office of Equity, Diversity & Accountability the BAASE initiative aims to eliminate some of the current data that suggest that Black a & Hispanic males (and males of poverty in general) hold the highest suspension rates and lowest grade point averages. BAASE hopes to motivate these young men to continue to strengthen their academic identities by enrolling in rigorous college and career readiness courses. Our number one goal is to increase the number of males in WPS who are college and career ready and prepared to compete for academic scholarships!
Although the focus of BAASE is males of color, we do not exclude any males who would like to participate.
MISSION STATEMENT
The Mission of the Wichita Public Schools BAASE Club is to identify males of color who have demonstrated positive academic identities and to engage them in meaningful/culturally relevant activities that will lead to further academic and social success as well as increased participation in AP, Honors and IB programming.
Our partnership allows us to guide BAASE members towards the next step...This partnership is about extending our support beyond our high schools. It’s about preparing our boys for life in a world where they’re prepared to achieve their dreams.
Partnering with Wichita Public Schools allows WSU to exercise their strategic goal to promote holistic student success through a supportive learning environment in which all of our students – past, present and future – continually thrive and grow. Partnering to prepare talented students for careers that support a growing economy just makes sense.
This partnership aims to INCREASE:
- the percentage of students completing dual credit, concurrent credit, industry certification or other college and career readiness opportunities.
- high school graduation rates.
- the number of males of color who receive academic scholarship opportunities.
Measurable Goals and Outcomes:
- Maintain 3.20 grade point average
- Maintain a 95% attendance rate
- 0 out of School Suspensions
- Improve post-secondary enrollment rates
BAASE Partnership Benefits
BAASE participants will become Affiliate members of the Wichita State University community when they receive their membership card (Shocker ID).
Both college access programs, the TRIO Communication Upward Bound (CUB) program and the Kansas Kids @ GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) provide priority status to BAASE applicants for membership.
