Melissa Harris-Perry to be WSSU's 2016 commencement speaker
Harris-Perry
SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE
Award-winning author and noted scholar
Melissa Harris-Perry will be the speaker at
Winston-Salem State University's 2016 com
mencement ceremony, scheduled for 9:45 a.m.
on Friday, May 13.
Harris-Perry, the author of "Barbershops,
Bibles, and BET: Everyday Talk and Black
Political Thought," and "Sister Citizen:
Shame,'* is the Maya Angelou Chair at Wake
Forest University. There she is the executive
director of the Pro Humanitate Institute and
founding director of the Anna Julia Cooper
Center on Gender, Race, and Politics in the
South. The Center supports, generates, and
communicates innovative research at the inter
section of gender, race, and place, and works to
advance equity through teaching, research, and
community engagement.
"Having an individual of Melissa Harris
Perry's caliber as our commencement speaker is
a great honor," said Chancellor Elwood L.
Robinson. "As a scholar and a leader. Dr.
Harris-Perry has been a tremendous voice
actively working to address issues of inequity
and racism. I know her message will be
thought-provoking and inspiring for our gradu
ates as they prepare to leave WSSU and begin
the next chapters of their lives."
Harris-Perry received her B.A. degree in
English from Wake Forest University and her
PhD. in political science from Duke University.
She also studied theology at Union Theological
Seminary in New York. Harris-Perry previously
served on the faculty of the University of
Chicago, Princeton University, and Tulane
University. She is the former host of "Melissa
Harris-Perry" on MSNBC.
Quality Education Academy achieves
100 Percent college acceptance
Submitted photo
Quality
Education
Academy High
School students
celebrate "Sign
Up Day."
From black led schools
op choice newsletter __
The Class of 2016 at Quality Education
Academy High School (QEA), a free, pub
lic charter school in Winston-Salem,
defied the odds.
At a time when the state is struggling
with a 6.8 percent drop-out rate among
"black students, according to the latest data
from the North Carolina Department of
Public Instruction, QEA reached this
month its goal -of 100 percent college
acceptance rate among its high school sen
iors.
Quality Education Academy High
School marked the occasion by hosting a
"Sign Up Day."
Like athletes signing up with profes
sional sports teams, graduating seniors
wore the t-shirt of the college of their
choice and signed the QEA Student Creed,
which was confirmed by Simon Johnson,
Quality Education Academy CEO.
Dr. Pamela Jennings, Executive
Director of the Center for Design
Innovation, spoke to a full auditorium
about goals, hard work, the power of
focus, and education. She inspired, encour
aged, and challenged the students to pre
pare themselves for the journey ahead of
them.
The program also included poetry,
music, presentations, and concluded with a
reception for the students and their family
members.
The event was inspired by First Lady
Michelle Obama, who challenged every
high school in the country to recognize all
students who continue' their education
beyond high school with the Reach Higher
Initiative.
Quality Education Academy High
School was able to set and reach its goal of
100 percent college acceptance since its
first graduating class in 2009 due to its rig
orous academic curriculum, high perform
ance student standards, excellent teachers
and staff, and strong community and fam
ily support.
As remarkable as this achievement is,
QEA's success mirrors the national trend
of improved student performance among
African-American students in public char
ter schools compared to their peers
enrolled in traditional public schools,
according to the 2015 "State of Black
America" report by the Black Alliance for
Educational Options (BAEO).
Examining the latest research from
Stanford University, the
U.S. Department of Education, and its own
analysis, BAEO researchers found that:
For every $1,000 invested in a charter
school and a traditional public school
(TPS) in 20 states and the District of
Columbia, charter schools produced a
"weighted average of 17 NAEP points per
$1,000 invested in math" and "16 NAEP
points per invested in reading."
Black students received an additional
36 days of learning in math and 26 days in
reading compared to their TPS peers?the
highest gain for all students in each sub
ject.
Black students in poverty received an
additional 59 days of learning in math and
44 days in reading compared with their
TPS peers ? the highest gain for all low
income, non-English Language Learner
(ELL) students.
In fact, IS of the 16 national and
regional studies identified by BAEO
researchers and conducted since 2010 con
cluded that charter students outperformed
their TPS peers and only one study found
mixed results.
While there is still much work to be
done to improve academic outcomes for
all students, the evidence is strong from
current research, as well as from the smiles
of students, parents and teachers at Quality
Education Academy High School's "Sign
Up Day," that black-led charter schools are
making a difference.
About Black Led Schools of Choke
Black Led Schools of Choice is a
statewide organization of free, public char
ter schools founded and operated by trans
formational African-American educators,
entrepreneurs, and community leaders.
We address the unique challenges and
opportunities facing African-American
public charter school leaders in creating,
sustaining, and delivering high-quality
education to our children hy providing
technical assistance, operational resources
and support, networking opportunities,
and issue-driven advocacy.
The founding members are:
* Dr. Mkhelle Johnson of The Point
Academy in Jamestown
* Simon Johnson of Quality
Education Academy in Winston-Salem
* Cynthia and Don McQueen of
Torchlight Academy in Raleigh
* Eugene Slocum of Alpha Academy
in Fayetteville
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