National Black Grads (NBG) believes that all students can achieve academic excellence and is committed to strengthening communities by providing academic-related support services, including financial resources to African American High School graduates. Launched in 2011, the Inland Empire Black Graduate Scholarship Celebration and Recognition Event has continued to thrive as a platform for our community to honor and celebrate the achievements of our youth, while spurring them on to pursue higher education opportunities. Growing from 50 students and 4 scholarships awarded in 2011 to over 450 students and 43 scholarships awarded in 2016, the Inland Empire Black Graduate Scholarship Celebration and Recognition Event has been the conduit for a tremendous outpouring of love, financial resources, community support and parent commitment to ensure that all students, (particularly first generation African American students) are provided with the proper tools, resources, and skills required to succeed after high school. In total, over 100 students from various Inland Empire high schools have been recipients of NBG scholarships. Additionally, NBG offers multiple educational and mentoring-related activities for students prior to their participation in the Black Graduate Scholarship Celebration and Recognition Event. NBG offers workshops for high school students and their parents on high school graduation requirements, financial resources for college and life skills that will be needed for student success. NBG also hosts ‘Meet and Greet’ activities in which previous Black Graduation participants return to share their experiences with current high school students.