The White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans (WHIEEAA), in partnership with the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics (WHIEEH) and in collaboration with the White House Initiatives on American Indian and Alaska Native and Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, will hold the first in a series of three roundtables across the country on creating pathways to success for students, particularly boys and men of color. The series is titled "Supporting Students of Color from Birth through College and Career." The first roundtable will take place Thursday, May 15, in Miami, Florida.
Before joining the roundtable tomorrow, this afternoon, Deputy Director of the WHIEEH Marco Davis will meet with officials at Florida International School University to learn about their efforts to increase educational opportunities for Hispanic students and efforts to encourage more participation in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) courses. Then, on Thursday morning, Marco will join David Johns, executive director of the WHIEEAA, to participate in a roundtable titled "Opportunities to Improve Learning and Development Programs and Supports for Students of Color." Davis' remarks will focus on the need for and existing efforts in communities to increase educational achievement and life outcomes for Hispanic boys and young men.
The roundtable in Miami will highlight the importance of supporting the academic, social and emotional development of students of color; learning from the 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project that pairs at-risk boys with supportive and positive men in the community who guide them through their growing up years and help them move on to college and career; and sharing promising practices that accelerate the learning and development of students of color. The half-day roundtable will include opening remarks from Johns, U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson, and William Mendoza, director of the White House Initiative on American Indian and Alaska Native Education (WHIAIANE).
The roundtable will consist of two panels—"Learning from the 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project: Supporting the Educational Excellence of Boys and Men of Color through mentoring and Parent Engagement," which begins at 9 a.m., and a 10:30 a.m. panel titled "Opportunities to Improve Learning and Development Programs and Supports for Students of Color." Johns will moderate both panels. Closing remarks at noon will be presented by Lisette Nieves, commissioner, President's Advisory Commission on Education Excellence for Hispanics.
The other two roundtables will take place in Los Angeles on June 12 and in Denver on July 1.