Project Kofi is a culturally specific, school-based mental health program that works with African American boys in grades three through six who are experiencing difficulty in school, personal relationships or other areas of their lives. “Kofi” is derived from a word meaning “child of growth” in Akan Asente, a Ghanaian dialect.

The goals of Project Kofi are to:

• Improve classroom behavior
• Improve behavior at home
• Maintain or improve academic performance or attendance
• Increase parent involvement in their child’s education

Project Kofi serves students who attend the following Saint Paul Public Schools: Rondo Education Center, Maxfield Elementary School, Galtier Magnet School, Dayton’s Bluff School, and Monroe Community Center (where Kofi serves boys through the eighth grade).

Project Kofi was developed in collaboration with Ramsey County Human Services, the Saint Paul Public School District and the Wilder Foundation.