The North Face’s Post

Exciting news! The legendary Penn Relays are back in 2024 and I couldn't be more thrilled! Get ready to witness some of the fastest runners in the world compete on the historic Franklin Field track. Kicking off the week with one of my favorite experiences, 2017 when Nike Sponsored the Lady Eagles of Brooklyn's Paul Robeson Campus with a new uniform. Pictured with Olympian English Gardner Coaches Horace Sutherland and Jamie Cloud #WeArePTECH #skillsbuild #skillsfirst #skills2030 #trackandfield MDRC P-TECH 9-14 Evaluation New findings in this report indicate that the P-TECH model increased students' postsecondary degree completion, particularly for male students, and boosted internship and dual enrollment rates, even during the COVID-19 pandemic. https://lnkd.in/g72AsMDi "By the end of the first year of postsecondary education, 2.6 percent of female and 1.8 percent of male P-TECH 9-14 students had earned degrees, compared with virtually no students from the comparison group, of either gender. These impacts for both genders are statistically significant".   "Male students who had the chance to attend P-TECH 9-14 schools were more likely to attain college degrees than male students assigned to other kinds of schools". www.ptech.org

Today is a huge source of pride for me and my colleagues at BlueSKY Collaborative Partners. We are elated to see INROADS and Advancement of Blacks In Sports (ABIS) joining forces to tackle a critical issue: career readiness for Black student-athletes. As college sports navigate commercialization, INROADS and ABIS are stepping up to ensure these talented young individuals aren't left behind after the final whistle blows. Here's why I'm excited: Closing the opportunity gap: This partnership will connect Black student-athletes with pre-college programs, internships, and entrepreneurial initiatives, opening doors beyond the playing field. Beyond sports: Equipping athletes with leadership skills and exposing them to diverse career paths will expand their horizons and empower them to thrive in any field. The action starts now: The partnership kicks off at the NBA All-Star Weekend with a panel discussion produced by BlueSKY Collaborative Partners, The Transition Game, highlighting economic mobility for athletes. This opportunity could be pathbreaking for Black student-athletes, and I applaud INROADS and ABIS for their commitment to their success. Let's champion their efforts and #EmpowerBlackAthletes to win on and off the field! #INROADS #ABIS #BlackStudentAthletes #CareerReadiness #Opportunity #NBAAllStarWeekend2024 #connectingforgood #connectingforgoodeventseries

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Teams of students from 30 colleges and universities are coming this weekend to the Indiana University Kelley School of Business to compete at the 2024 National Diversity Case Competition. The competition, which is held the weekend before Martin Luther King Jr. Day, will bring together 118 students who represent some of the best and most diverse talent in undergraduate education from across the nation. Among the participating teams are four from historically Black institutions #HCBU Claflin University, Delaware State University, Howard University and Xavier University of Louisiana. Students are challenged to solve diversity-related business issues and share ideas while benefiting from workshops and networking with companies that value inclusion. This year, the competition will focus on a case provided by #AbbVie that focuses on improving the level of #diversity participation in clinical trials. The company is looking for solutions to de-stigmatize clinical trials and help increase participation, particularly among #underrepresented groups. Many students find that participating in this event leads to #leadership opportunities, internships and jobs after graduation. They will compete for $22,000 in prize money. https://lnkd.in/gXu6kp2Q

WE NEED BLACK TEACHERS HAPPY EASTER 2024 6 of My Black Teachers from Pathways in Technology Early College High School Became Principals and 3 Became P-TECH Principals Jamilah Seifullah Cindy Casseus Cordel Blair Rachel Hill Yaa Yaa Catherine Whaley-Williams and Anthony Williams MDRC P-TECH 9-14 Evaluation New findings in this report indicate that the P-TECH model increased students' postsecondary degree completion, particularly for male students, and boosted internship and dual enrollment rates, even during the pandemic. LINK: https://lnkd.in/e54rSYKT "By the end of the first year of postsecondary education, 2.6 percent of female and 1.8 percent of male P-TECH 9-14 students had earned degrees, compared with virtually no students from the comparison group, of either gender. These impacts for both genders are statistically significant".   "Male students who had the chance to attend P-TECH 9-14 schools were more likely to attain college degrees than male students assigned to other kinds of schools". www.ptech.org

Underrepresented majority Black students who entered 150 Albany Avenue, Brooklyn, New York in September 2011, from NYC Department of Education showed that 2-year CTE/STEM degrees from The City University of New York City Tech, CUNY could be earned with no academic screening and no tests for admissions. Many degree earners were hired by industry partner IBM September 2011 and May 6, 2024 The The New York Times Lost in the School Choice Maze May 6, 2011 https://lnkd.in/dQjrVRU New Lists of School Choices At the supplemental-round fair, Radcliffe and his parents met Rashid Davis, the dynamic 40-year-old principal at P-Tech — Pathways in Technology — a new school in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, backed by a $500,000 commitment from I.B.M. and an agreement with City College to offer an associate’s degree at the end of six years. New York Daily News 2 for the price of 1! P-TECH offering associate's degree in 6-year program https://lnkd.in/eR5VDzss MDRC P-TECH 9-14 Evaluation New findings in this report indicate that the P-TECH model increased students' postsecondary degree completion, particularly for male students, and boosted internship and dual enrollment rates, even during the COVID-19 pandemic. https://lnkd.in/g72AsMDi "Male students who had the chance to attend P-TECH 9-14 schools were more likely to attain college degrees than male students assigned to other kinds of school" #WeArePTECH #skillsbuild #skillsfirst #skills2030 www.ptech.org

A repost of a repost has to be important.

Every Learner #studentintern, Anissia Fleming, is working on a #researchproject to develop a profile of #HBCUs with a goal of understanding why #Blackstudents choose to attend them and what #PWIs can learn from HBCUs to better serve their Black students. Learn more in this week's blog: https://ow.ly/xP4J50Qbzo2

Fear and rejection held me back. Year one passed by without engaging in many extracurricular activities. I saw comfort as my safest option. How could I fail? Failure meant I had lost. Failure meant that I couldn’t try again. Failure meant that I had reached my limit, and couldn’t advance beyond the ‘glass ceiling’ holding me back. So, what changed? Well, I would say that I took a step back, and began challenging these thoughts. Professionals call it ‘Socratic thinking’ – a way to objectively evaluate the evidence and reasoning behind one’s beliefs. You’d think that as a history student who comes across evidence everyday, I’d be an expert, but I was not. In my mind, I didn’t belong here. I stood out as a black student in a predominately white cohort. But why? I had received an offer to study here. I received an acceptance letter from Sheffield. I passed the entry requirements. So why did I think I didn’t belong here? This method of thinking made me realise that I did belong here. I was determined to maximise my time, and gain experiences that I wouldn’t regret later in life – so I became proactive. I spoke to Gavin Simpson-Smillie (A&H Faculty Employability Lead), James Zeller (HE Skills and Employability Consultant) and Tom Jones (A&H Employability and External Relationships Officer) about completing a placement year or year abroad, all of which helped me decide on the latter. I secured a two-week internship with the Civil Service at the DfE through Gavin Simpson-Smillie, where I researched, studied, and presented about the importance of HTQs, all under the insightful guidance and support of Corinne Austin (Higher Technical Education Strategy Advisor). I attended a roundtable discussion with Mems Ayinla (current Director of Student Influence, and former Parliamentary Clerk at the House of Commons) as the speaker and asked her a question about the “gap in the market”, regarding the lack of racial representation in spaces and how we can address this issue. I connected with Lavinya Stennett FRSA, founder and CEO of The Black Curriculum, who has inspired me to create my newsletter and piece of public history around important topics within history and the black community. I networked with Rachel Lane, Senior Service Designer at the Ministry of Justice, at a civil service event, where we had enlightening conversations about diversity within the public sector. So what changed between year one and two? I did something. I had questions, and went about finding answers. I intentionally connected with people who would pour into me and share their kindness, time, and knowledge. But to do this, I had to make myself uncomfortable. I had to take a leap of faith, embracing the changes that would make me feel temporarily uncomfortable in favour of long-term success. 

Thrilled to share Spenser’s latest achievement! To say he balanced school, work, and family well would be an understatement. Spenser really has developed quite a passion for energy policy and infrastructure that only deepens the more he learns. If you’re in the energy industry, or share his enthusiasm for it, shoot him a message! He’s always looking to learn more about the grid. #energy #energypolicy #newgraduate

My Midsummer Dream for Black teen girls.   It is mid-summer and Black teen girls are fully engaged in productive and worthwhile summer endeavors, but have they had a "Fill Your Cup" experience yet? For many teens, Black girls included, summer is a time to get ahead on one’s dreams through internship experiences, honing academic skills, or traveling the country playing a sport. Yet, I find myself dreaming of another kind of summer experience for Black teen girls; one that is equally as essential to their success because it relates to their sense of self, wholeness and wellbeing. A Fill Your Cup experience takes place in a space where Black girls are able to be their true selves and where their beauty, genius and capabilities are celebrated. Black teen girls, especially those who attend predominantly white schools, need a Fill Your Cup experience where they feel valued, seen and affirmed for who they are and not just for how they perform or what they produce. The Fill Your Cup experience is simple yet transformative and it has the power to sustain Black teen girls for the long haul in the school year ahead. If you have a Black teen girl in your life, do a midsummer check in with her to see if her plans include a Fill Your Cup experience, and if they don’t, help her plan one. A Fill Your Cup experience doesn’t have to be expensive, but make sure you are co-creating it with your Black teen girls so that she will leave the experience feeling affirmed, strengthened, whole and knowing that she is enough.