Program will honor pupils who excel

More than 600 city school pupils are expected to be recognized.
By HAROLD GWIN
VINDICATOR EDUCATION WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Jimma McWilson believes it's time to change the dialogue about the city schools from discussing its failures to discussing its successes.
That's the way to improve, by building on the wide range of academic successes that already exist, said the president and chief executive officer of FAMILY Empowerment Student Achievement Institute, a relatively new Mahoning Valley nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering families in relation to the education of their children.
That's why the organization is the chief sponsor of a "Youngstown Best Academic Practice Celebration and Awards" program set for Saturday at New Bethel Baptist Church, 1507 Hillman St.
Registration is at 9 a.m., and the program begins at 10 a.m.
More than 600 of Youngstown's student scholars, parent-teachers and classroom teachers will be presented with letters of achievement recognizing academic successes.
Children will be honored on two levels: Those who made the honor roll and those who maintained a 3.0 or higher grade point average.
The parents of those academically successful pupils will be recognized as Best Practice Parent-Teachers.
The pupils themselves have nominated teachers who have helped them achieve for the Best Practice Classroom Teacher recognition.
"We've got a lot of winners," McWilson said. "We need to study what works and apply it to what doesn't work."
About 1,000 people are expected at the event, which is open to the public, he said.
Mayor Jay Williams and Dr. David C. Sweet, president of Youngstown State University, will be the keynote speakers.
McWilson, who lived in Youngstown for three years as a teenager, served as director and chief operations officer for the Urban League in San Diego County, Calif.
FAMILY Empowerment has held a series of roundtable discussions with community and education leaders, young people and others to look for ways to make the educational process better.
The goal is to develop a five-year campaign that will take the city school system all the way to the top -- an "excellent" rating on the state's local report card, McWilson said.
FAMILY Empowerment is partnering with the Greater Warren-Youngstown Urban League to help attain that goal, he said.
M. Mike McNair, spokesman for the city school district, said some 900 children achieved honor roll status this year, and the district supports FAMILY Empowerment's efforts.
"It's a celebration of achievement and best practices. These are examples for all to follow," McNair said.
gwin@vindy.com