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Cepeda: The family that educates together, elevates
together
By Esther J.
Cepeda
August 19, 2015
CHICAGO -- Dear dads: It's your time to
shine.
Everyone knows that kids do better academically when "parents" participate
in school activities such as helping with homework and teacher conferences. But
all too often, moms are designated the school-stuff managers, leaving out a
precious piece of the puzzle for ensuring that kids understand how important
their education is to the whole family.
Maybe not for long.
The Black Star Project, a Chicago-based nonprofit organization that strives
to improve the quality of life in black and Latino communities by closing racial
academic achievement gaps, has been getting dads involved in back-to-school
preparations for more than a decade.
"The Million Father March is a way to get men into their children's schools
because right now men are the missing link in education," said Phillip Jackson,
founder and executive director of the Black Star Project. "When fathers,
grandfathers, uncles, foster fathers, stepfathers, big brothers, significant
male caregivers and male friends of the family come together to support a
child's education, they bring so much to schools and to families. It's amazing
that we haven't figured out how to get more men involved in the education of
children."
Today, the Million Father March takes place
in schools and communities across the country, and beyond. This fall, the Black
Star Project estimates that well over 1 million fathers and other family members
will participate in more than 600 cities.
"The Million Father March is no longer a one-day activity," Jackson told me
in an interview. "It did start out that way, but now it's a full-year activity
that asks men and fathers to volunteer 10 hours a year to their child's school.
To some people, that's nothing, but it's such a great beginning. Once they see
they can be tutors, mentors, celebrity readers, 'real-men readers,' lunch-room
monitors, field-trip chaperones, they can be put to painting and improving the
school, they see there are so many things that fathers can do."
Jackson believes in the power of the whole
family to boost educational achievement for black and Hispanic youth and says
the emphasis on dads is just another way to improve participation.
"Education is absolutely a family affair. It is not, as we used to believe,
the mother's job," said Jackson. "It's so much more than that
now-the family that educates together, elevates
together. You cannot simply send your child to school anymore, it
never really worked, and it doesn't work in 2015."
Hear it loud and clear, dads: You are wanted and needed at
school.
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Our Next
Sunday University
Sunday, August 23, 2015
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"Flipping
Houses"
Learn to rebuild your community and to earn wealth while
you provide quality housing for the people of your community. Learn how to
research, identify, acquire, finance, rehabilitate and sell properties in your
community.
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Professor Attorney Geneva Brown
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and
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Professor D. Drew Williams
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Sunday,
September 27, 2016
Technology
and Food Entrepreneurship
with Riana
Lynn
Google - Code 2040
Entrepreneur in Residence
Riana Lynn is emerging
as a young leader in food+health entrepreneurship with a passion for technology,
access, and bringing people together. From her grandmother's garden to the White
House South Lawn and through the local and international agricultural pipelines
she was inspired to develop innovative supply chain management tools and
create FoodTrace. A next level sourcing
platform, FoodTrace is paving the way with software solutions to solve our
biggest food industry problems. Her story and accomplishments have been featured
in Inc.com, Wired Magazine, Entrepreneur Magazine, TheGrio 100, and other local
and national publications. She graduated with a B.S. in Biology and African
American Studies, along with a minor in Chemistry from the University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she taught herself how to code and was a
top-ranked performer in Discus and Javelin before pursuing a Masters at
Northwestern University. While getting her hands dirty in the White House
Kitchen Garden, her work included major policy initiatives such as Small
Business and Jobs, STEM, and Public Health. Riana currently serves as the Google
- Code 2040 Entrepreneur in Residence. A native of the Chicago area, Riana is a
young politico, a restaurant enthusiast, a world traveler, and an innovative
fruit connoisseur!
2:30 pm to
4:00 pm
after
church, mosque or temple
at
The Black
Star Project
3509 South
King Drive
Chicago,
Illinois
Please call
773.285.9600 to RSVP, for more information or to create a Sunday University in
your city.
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Illinois State Senators Jacqueline Collins and
Mattie Hunter protect seniors from scam artists
mis-using reverse mortgages!
In the wake of revelations that
con artists have used risky financial products called "reverse mortgages" to
scam seniors, please encourage your senior networks to attend this reverse
mortgage event and learn more. Senator Collins and Senator Hunter will be joined
by experts in the field. Please call 773.224.2830 or 312.949.1908 for more
information.
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Delray Beach, Florida
Joins
The Million Father
March
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Monday,
August 17, 2015
DELRAY BEACH, Fla. (AP) - Community leaders are using back to school events
Monday to connect kids with male mentors.
Village Academy in Delray Beach asked fathers, uncles, cousins and
grandfather to greet students as they walk onto campus. Principal LaToya Dixon
says she wants to show children that the community is invested in their
education. She has recruited more than 100 men.
A Florida Department of Education study found that when fathers are
actively involved in their child's education, the student earn better grades,
score higher on tests, enjoy school, has fewer discipline problems and are more
likely to graduate from high school and attend college.
Monday's initiative is part of The Black Star Project, U.S.A. - Million
Father March. The organization says schools in almost 600 cities are expected to
participate.
Click Here to See the the
Inspirational First Day of School in Delray Beach,
Florida.
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447 Cities Are Participating in The
2015 Million Father March.
If Your City Is Not Participating, Why
Not? Ask Your Schools, Your Faith Institutions, Your Governments to Join the
2015 Million Father March or participate on our
special National Million Father March Day on Tuesday,
September 15, 2015.
On your first day of school, or on Tuesday, September 15,
2015, or on any day you choose: 1) Invites fathers and men to bring
children to school; 2) Serve fathers and men breakfast and introduce them to
your school; 3) Invite fathers and men to volunteer 10 hours a year at your
school; 4) Invite fathers and men to "Real Men Read" at your school; 5) Invite
fathers and men to "Real Men Mentor" at your school; 6) Invite fathers and
relatives to have lunch with their children at your school; 7) Invite fathers,
men and faith institutions to pray around your school (outside); 8) Invite
fathers and men to attend a performance of students at your school; and 9)
Invite fathers and men to organize a march through the community near your
school.
Click Here to Register for the
2015 Million Father March
Click Here to see if your city has
signed up for the 2015 Million Father March
Click Here to Learn More about
the Million Father March or call 773.285.9600.
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Quote
of the Day
From The Black
Star Learning Center
"Success seems to be
connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but
they don't quit."
- Conrad Hilton
(quote shared by Black
Star Member Stan Jendresak)
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Unto
Perfect Manhood!
Graduating 8th-grade, rising 9th-grade and
transferring 10th-grade young men (and young women) can register now to attend
Hales Franciscan High School in Chicago, Illinois. Some financial assistance is
available. Please call 773.285.8400 for more information.
History:
Hales Franciscan High School is a nationally recognized not-for-profit,
independent Catholic school that has serviced students throughout Chicago, for
over 50 years. Named after Alexander of Hales, a Franciscan scholar in the
Middle Ages, Hales Franciscan High School opened it's doors in 1962 as an
African American, all-male, Catholic college preparatory high school, dedicated
to imparting Christian values in the Catholic and Franciscan traditions;
instilling moral and ethical ideals, while helping students fulfill their
academic potential in a safe, disciplined and nurturing environment. In 2013,
Hales Franciscan High School became a coeducational institution, enrolling
female students.
Academic
Program:
Hales Franciscan High School is a small, faith-based, Catholic school,
servicing approximately 125 male and female students in grades 9-12. Class
sizes average about 20/1. Students receive a traditional, classical education,
anchored by humanities and the great books, in addition to participating in
weekly colloquia. Senior students are afforded an opportunity to take classes
at our partner schools; Chicago State University and Shimer College; as part of
our dual-enrollment program.
School
Stats:
Freshmen On Track Rate: 90%
Graduation Rate: 97%
College Enrollment: 100%
College Retention: 99%
Demographics:
Number of Students: 125
Gender: 20% Female, 80% Male
Race: 99% Black
Ethnicity: 99% Non-Hispanic
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