City scholars are honored for schools’ improvement

The goal is to focus on the school district’s successes, not its failures.

STAFF REPORT

YOUNGSTOWN — More than 1,000 city school pupils have registered to attend the Youngstown Academic Achievement Olympiad on Sunday at Beeghly Center at Youngstown State University.

The 4 p.m. event was organized to recognize the efforts of schoolchildren who are doing the right thing and working to succeed, said Jimma McWilson, president and co-founder of FAMILY Empowerment Student Achievement Institute, the driving force behind the effort.

The institute was the prime sponsor of a similar event a year ago, drawing some 600 academically successful pupils.

McWilson said the primary goal of the ongoing recognition is to improve the perceived community attitude that Youngstown can’t advance from state-rated academic watch to the ranking of excellent.

The program will reward and support those working toward making that improvement within a period of just a few years, he said.

There are 3,000 city school pupils in that category who are ending this school year with A, B and C grades, McWilson said.

The Olympiad is free to pupils, but they must be accompanied by an adult family member, and the adults are being asked to contribute $3 to help finance the event.

McWilson said the pupils will be issued a challenge to find one young person they believe in, and then act as a role model and tutor for that person over the next year.

Adults will be challenged to pick one other parent or guardian and be a support system for that person, he said.

Dr. Wendy Webb, city schools superintendent, will be the keynote speaker.

McWilson said one of the short-range goals is to start a Youngstown Academic Achievement Society to begin focusing on the city schools’ successes, rather than its failures.