Courtesy Raynard Villa Hall
On Tuesday, February 26th, the White House will honor ten leaders who have devoted their time and efforts to helping further education among African Americans. These individuals have provided exemplary leadership in the area of education in the African American community at the local, state or regional level.
“President Obama has made providing a complete and competitive education for all Americans – from cradle to career – a top priority,” said Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett. That’s why, last summer, he signed an executive order to establish the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans. This week, we look forward to welcoming Champions of Change who have been working to ensure that all African American students receive an education that fully prepares them for high school graduation, college completion, and productive careers.”
The Champions of Change program was created as a part of President Obama’s Winning the Future initiative. Each week, the White House features a group of Americans – individuals, businesses and organizations – who are doing extraordinary things to empower and inspire members of their communities.
An announcement will also be made at the event by Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan about the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans. This initiative was established by an Executive Order signed by President Obama in 2012. The White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans will work across Federal agencies and with partners and communities nationwide to produce a more effective continuum of education programs for African American students. The Initiative aims to ensure that all African American students receive an education that fully prepares them for high school graduation, college completion, and productive careers.
Honorees:
Phillip Jackson – Chicago, IL
Phillip Jackson was born into and resided in public housing in Chicago. Mr. Jackson attended eleven Chicago public schools with varying levels of success. He graduated from Roosevelt University with honors with a degree in Philosophy and studied education at National College of Education. In his career, he has served as senior vice president of operations for a large retail book chain; assistant budget director for the City of Chicago; chief of staff for Chicago Public Schools; chief executive officer for the Chicago Housing Authority; chief for education for the City of Chicago; and president and chief executive officer for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Chicago. He is founder and executive director of The Black Star Project, which works to create globally competitive, globally compassionate, globally cooperative students, parents, families, and communities.
Click Here to Read Biographies of Other Champions of Change:
- Robert Balfanz – Baltimore, MD
- Kyle Bacon – Gaithersburg, MD
- Esther L. Bush – Pittsburgh, PA
- Hedy Chang – San Francisco, CA
- Haben Girma – San Francisco, CA (Harvard Law School, MA)
- Michael Graham – Durham, NC
- Becky James-Hatter – Saint Louis, MO
- Erin Jones – Lacey, WA
- Joyce Parker – Greenville, MS
Click Here to Read Full Press Release with Biographies of All “Champions of Change”
Click Here to See the Presentation Live at the White House on Tuesday February 26, 2013 – 4:30 pm Eastern Time; 3:30 pm Central Time; 2:30 pm Mountain Time; and 1:30 pm Pacific Time
