Our mission is to help individuals, families, schools, and communities learn how to better understand themselves and each other by adjusting and replicating best practices for improving social issues developed by the leading voices in education. Explore the videos and text resources to learn more about the proven solutions that are providing lasting positive change, hope, and healing in our world. Contact us here to learn more about the people, programs, and practices that are highlighted in the stories.
Expanded Success Initiative
ESI is focused on increasing the life outcomes of black and Latino males who attend NYC public high schools by closing educational achievement and opportunity gaps and preparing them to graduate college and career ready.
Young Men’s Gathering Program
One of the many ESI programs that support the continued achievement of Black and Latino young men is the Young Men’s Gatherings, open to all 9th and 10th grade students who are involved in the Expanded Success Initiative, as well as accompanying staff.
Bedford Academy Program
This program provides socio-emotional supports for Black and Latino young men to explicitly accelerate the development of personal and academic behaviors that contribute to college resilience and persistence.
ESI CREATES
Culturally Responsive Environments Attaining Transformative Equitable Solutions (CREATES) is a cohort of schools using the CRE Framework to ensure that policies, practices, and procedures that exist and those that are created, are filtered through a culturally responsive and equity lens.
Peer-to-Peer Mentoring
ESI has embarked on the mission of supporting New York City high schools with existing peer-to-peer mentoring programs to increase the number of students engaged while strengthening and expanding the quality of service provided within priority communities.
Freshman Seminar
A new course at the historic James P. Dudley High School in Greensboro is designed to provide students with a comprehensive overview of the African American experience. Students explore the concept of cultural identity using historical data, and they are supported while navigating the transition into high school.
Restorative Voices
The Restorative Voices Program focuses on addressing the social justice issue of racial disparity in educational opportunities, specifically in GCS. The program works to empower students in our schools to have a voice as district leaders work toward more positive school cultures and boosting academic achievement for each student.
Deerwood Academy
Through a comprehensive focus on SEL, Atlanta Public Schools is committed to the social, emotional, and academic development of students by connecting "hearts and smarts" as part of a systemic whole child framework. See how Deerwood Academy has incorporated these practices into their school community.