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Dear Friends of Project GRAD Akron,
As we continue to celebrate our 20th anniversary year, I hope you are enjoying the various videos we are sharing in each e-newsletter. In this edition, you will have the opportunity to watch a short video of Dr. Sylvester Small, the former Superintendent of the Akron Public Schools (APS), when he accepted his award for our 20th anniversary celebration. One of Dr. Small's many accomplishments during his tenure as Superintendent was the creation of Project GRAD Akron. Dr. Small was always well-received in the Project GRAD network. Early in my tenure as the Executive Director of Project GRAD Akron, we had the opportunity to jointly present at a meeting of Project GRAD USA's Board of Directors in New York, New York. I still remember how positive they were about Dr. Small and how they encouraged Akron to expand to additional schools. Although he never likes to take credit for his accomplishments, we thank him for his vision and his years of continuous support! Through the efforts of Dr. Small and so many community leaders, partners, and friends, Project GRAD Akron continues to expand and positively serve thousands of young people in our community.
In our 20 years, Project GRAD Akron has been very fortunate to have Superintendents who supported our vision, work, and strongly believe in the GRAD motto that Graduation Really Achieves Dreams. After the retirement of Dr. Small, we were fortunate to have two additional Superintendents who passionately advocated for the students in the Akron Public Schools. A special thank you is extended to Dr. David James and Christine Fowler Mack, who both recently served as Honorary Chairpersons of Project GRAD Akron's 20th Anniversary Celebration Gala. All three of these Superintendents served as ex officio members on the Board of Project GRAD Akron and they truly understood and supported our mission.
In this newsletter, we say farewell to APS Superintendent Christine Fowler Mack and thank her for her service. We wish her the very best in her future endeavors! We also welcome Interim APS Superintendent Mary Outley in her new role. Ms. Outley is no stranger to Project GRAD Akron and was recently recognized at our 20th Anniversary Gala for her many years of service and support! As Akron Public Schools navigates through this journey, we must all remain encouraged and remember our collective mission of working in the best interests of the children and families we serve!
This month, the Akron Community Foundation re-launched its "On The Table" initiative. It encouraged the participants to engage in "more talk AND more action." As a participant, I really wanted to seek opportunities to get out of my comfort zone and to look at the world, particularly our community, from different lenses. I watched videos, attended events, had conversations with people from different walks of life, read a variety of articles, listened to different perspectives, supported different businesses and organizations, and engaged in a host of activities. I typically do these things, but I wanted to be more intentional about my actions. I found it to be personally rewarding and I encourage you to visit their website to look at some of the resources they shared. The great thing about it, you don't have to limit yourself to this month. Imagine what our community would look like if we all got out of our own ways and tried to listen and learn from each other. Just imagine.
In closing, I recently attended an after-school event Project GRAD Akron sponsored for some of our students from Buchtel and East. The students were from different schools and neighborhoods. I had such a great time talking to the students, taking pictures, and observing them interact with each other and the staff. It was nice watching them enjoying the simple fun of bowling, eating pizza, and enjoying each's company. I encourage each of you to get to know some young people and seek opportunities to make a positive difference in their lives. So many organizations, including Project GRAD Akron, are seeking volunteers to mentor or support young people. If you are interested in learning more, please visit our website at www.projectgradakron.org, call our office at 330-761-3113, or email us at info@projectgradakron.org.
Thank you for your support!
Jacqueline "Jackie" Silas-Butler, Esq.
Executive Director
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