Addressing the Career Development Needs of High-Achieving African American High School Students: Implications for Counselors

Abstract

African Americans face numerous obstacles in achieving their fullest developmental and career potentials in the current political, social, and economic environment. These barriers have produced, for the most part, workers who have been wage earners as opposed to being self-employed, and blue-collar workers rather than managers or proprietors (Daniel, 2001). This paper proposes solutions that would ensure that African American students who exhibit exceptional talent receive the kind of education to which they are entitled, in preparation for the careers of their choice. In addition to exploring the conditions that led to this underrepresentation, methods to desegregate gifted education programs and redress educational inequalities are analyzed. Specifically, the implications for counselors and teachers, those best situated to bring about positive change, will be discussed. The phrase "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" emphasizes the ideal known as the American Dream. To this end, Americans from all walks of life have fought for and died to pursue this plethora of social, political, and economic goals that would enhance their quality of life. Many Americans can claim a starting point to their success or to the beginning of their American Dream (e.g., Ellis Island), while others can make claim to being successful within a generation of being Journal for the Education of the Gifted 418 in America. However, for many African Americans, this American Dream is yet to be fulfilled. African Americans constitute the second largest visible racial/ ethnic minority group in the United States, numbering nearly 35 million and representing slightly more than 13% of the population (U.S. Census Bureau, 2005). They are also the most disadvantaged; according to the 2001 census, nearly 32% of African Americans live in poverty as compared to Hispanics, the largest visible racial/ethnic minority. African Americans are underrepresented at every level of higher education, and their unemployment rate has hovered at more than double that of their non-Hispanic, Caucasian counterparts for the last 20 years. Those who do manage to succeed educationally nevertheless earn less than non-Hispanic Caucasians with comparable education. These dramatic statistics, combined with the African American history as the victims of slavery and racial oppression, illustrate why Osipow and Fitzgerald (1996) argued that Blacks and Whites in America constitute two distinct nations. Many African American children are born into impoverished environments (Hodgkinson, 2002). Growing up in these unfortunate conditions has left them susceptible to higher rates of crime and malnourishment, poor vision, lack of medical care, and inadequate access to appropriate educational resources (Rothstein, 2004). Thus, it may be quite difficult to locate potentially gifted and talented students within low-achieving schools. The disadvantaged status of African Americans is further illustrated in the following comparative excerpt from a report by the Children's Defense Fund...

Guiding the Talent and Career Development of the Gifted Individual

“…According to Greene (), in addition to the “variables of ability and personality, uncontrollable factors such as socioeconomic status, race, gender, and sexual orientation also can affect the career decision making of gifted students” (p. 38). It is essential to understand the social, political, and economic conditions affecting today's youth in order to provide access to career opportunities that may be perceived as available to only restricted groups of people (Parris, Owens, Johnson, Grbevski, & Holbert‐Quince, ). Perceived or actual barriers to certain career options may result in the elimination of potentially promising and fulfilling career pathways (Gottfredson, ), and individuals vary greatly in the manner in which they deal with issues of oppression and defeat.…”

“…In working with gifted African American students as well as students from other ethnic minority populations, for example, counselors need to understand how experiences with racism, discrimination, and stereotyping may negatively affect career development (Parris et al, ). Moreover, because gifted students from low‐income and low‐education backgrounds often encounter barriers to educational and career success (Gibbons, Pelchar, & Cochran, ), counselors need to be sensitized to the obstacles these students face and play a proactive role in ensuring that the students receive the kind of support and challenge they need to help them to move forward in their educational and career development.…”

The Level of Career Success for Talented Students and Its Relation with Gender, Center and Educational Level

“…note that some studies answered: yes significantly (McGarrah, 2014;Mayes & Hines 2014;Fiebig & Beauregard, 2010;Peterson, 2002;Parris et al, 2010;Taylor, 1995;McClarty, 2015). But others answered: There is no guarantee for this and there are some cases which contradict the logic because this might not happen even if the individual has high IQ, he cannot even guarantee the success in school (Gross, 2006;Abdravikova, Akhmadullina, & Singatullova, 2014;Renzulli, 2012;Smith, 2006).…”

“…In general, the amount of success in marriage, education, career and standard of life were same as they wanted before and they had a dream about it when they were youths and teenagers and it was discussed at the beginning of the study. Parris et al (2010) did a study aimed to follow the professional development and mental change for talented individuals who join the labor market through long study which lasted for 4 years. The sample of the study contained 43 students, their IQ is (+160) from America and Germany.…”

Examining the relationship between career decision self-efficacy, ethnic identity, and academic self-concept and achievement of African American high school students

“…compared to 7.2% in 2012 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2011;. The disproportionate unemployment rate can be attributed to a number of different factors including low educational attainment, as well as the existence of systemic and discriminatory practices based on race (Jackson, Kacanski, Rust, & Beck, 2006;McWhirter, 1997;Parris, Owens, Johnson, Grbevski, & Holbert-Quince, 2010).…”