Education Summit 2009

Caring Community Partners: Working to Keep Students on the Graduation Track

More than 300 people joined Yonkers Partners in Education and the Yonkers Public Schools at Education Summit 2009. Participants came from many sectors of the Yonkers community, including business leaders, community-based organizations, foundations, parents, students, and educators. The theme of the day was “Caring Community Partners: Working to Keep Students on the Graduation Track,” based on a national program run by America’s Promise Alliance. The event was sponsored by The College of Westchester and Pearson Education.

The goal for the day was to build upon the progress made since last year’s Education Summit 2008 and explore ways that the community can work together to support the children of Yonkers.

“Education Summit 2009 was a thrilling day!” said YPIE Executive Director Wendy Nadel. “It was a wonderful opportunity to have so many members of the community in one place to discuss how we can work together to keep kids in school.”

The day began with a welcome from Bernard P. Pierorazio, Yonkers Public Schools Superintendent.  Arthur Griffin, Jr., Senior Vice President, Urban Advisory Resource at McGraw-Hill Education gave the keynote speech. Other speakers included Rev. Gerald Sudick, President, Yonkers Board of Education; Yonkers Mayor Philip A. Amicone; and T. Richard Fitzgerald, President, Yonkers Partners in Education.  The most compelling presentations came from several students who told their personal stories about how they got their lives back on track after being at high risk for dropping out of high school.

Following the presentations, participants split up into break-out sessions to focus on the five tenets of the America's Promise Alliance: support and guidance from caring adults; providing physically and emotionally safe places; ensuring that children have a healthy start; providing effective education through quality learning environments; and providing young people with opportunities to help others. Each break-out group included students as well as participants from different constituencies, who brainstormed solutions to use these five promises to keep students engaged in school. The results of the breakouts will be made available to all participants via the YPIE website.

All agreed that Education Summit 2009 provided a wonderful opportunity to have so many members of the community in one place to discuss how everyone can work together to ensure that more students graduate high school with the education necessary to live a productive life.
 

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