The Franklin Senior High School Athletic Department has received the Mentoring The 100 Way Across A Lifetime impact Expansion Grant from State Farm Insurance, 100 Black Men of America Inc., in collaboration with State Farm Insurance and the University of Phoenix awarded (16) $2,500 grants to chapters that are small to medium mentoring enterprises.

The 100 Black Men of St. Mary Inc. was awarded one of the $2,500 grants, and has pledged the funds to support the Franklin High School Athletic Department by purchasing computer equipment and covering tutoring expenses for its student-athletes.

Franklin Senior High School Athletic Director and Head Football Coach J. Ina was delighted to receive the news.

“I was extremely excited about being awarded the grant. We have made a commitment to our student-athletes to help them as much as possible to have success academically. We now have computers, printers, and internet access in the field house. We have also been able to provide tutoring opportunities for our student-athletes. The 100 Black Men of St. Mary has been a huge supporter of us and the direction we are heading with our program.”

Coach Ina said that the FSHS Athletic Department is in the process of implementing a mandatory study-hall for student-athletes who fall below a specified grade point average or who fail to meet certain academic requirements.

According to Ina, the program has already seen the overall academic standing of its student-athletes improve, and hopes that the receipt of the grant will help them to have even more success. The 100 Black Men of St. Mary, Inc. was established in 1993 as a chapter of the 100 Black Men of America. The current president is Clarence Robinson, Jr.