Academic Resilience in High Achieving, African American Students of Poverty: Factors Contributing to Academic Success

In spite of adversity, there are many African American students of poverty who are high achievers and labeled academically resilient. These students dismiss the concept of low income and low achievement being bound together. Based on research, there are various protective factors that contribute to their academic success. Two factors, teacher relationships and peer relationships, are significant in the lives of poor minority students. These factors help students develop resilience. This proposal explores the results of both factors and how they mitigate the potential effects of risk factors and contribute to the high achievement of African American students of poverty.