On March 11, the Ellenville Central School District (ECSD) hosted a Local Action Summit that served as a platform for key partners to come together to assess the needs of the school community, and identify the priorities that the District would like to address as part of its goal of becoming a New York State My Brother’s Keeper (NYSMBK) Community.
Launched by former President Barack Obama in 2014, the My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) initiative aims to address persistent opportunity gaps faced by young men and boys of color in order to ensure that all young people can reach their full potential.
Back in February, the ECSD and the Village of Ellenville submitted a joint letter to New York State Commissioner of Education Dr. Betty Rosa, formally accepting the State’s “MBK Community Challenge.” The challenge asks communities to come together to take the necessary steps to develop and execute programs and strategies designed to help boys, young men of color—and all youth—achieve success.
“Through this challenge, we are committed to working together to design and implement an action plan that will help expand opportunities for all young people, regardless of who they are, where they come from, or the circumstances in which they are born,” said ECSD Deputy Superintendent Kelly White, explaining that the March summit was the first in a series of meetings that will be held to develop and launch a community action plan that will support the NYSMBK commitments, and help improve outcomes for Ellenville youth.
During the meeting, which took place in the Junior/Senior High School’s Library Media Center, several key stakeholders—including students—reviewed school district statistics, discussed shared priorities, and began envisioning a plan for improvement.
White is pleased with how this first meeting went, and is hopeful about what will be accomplished in the future. “The ECSD is proud of our community’s commitment to our youth, and we are dedicated to continuing to build a supportive school environment where all young people can thrive,” she said.