We accomplish our multigenerational community building by offering annual summits, individual and group trainings, collaborative workshops, integrated classes and seminars focused on positive identity development, high academic standard and professionals who are trained in the common core standards.

Education , Educational Services

The black student success summit is a one-day event where black youth learn how to navigate the education-to-career pathways for various industries, through interactive workshops, affinity group caucuses, motivational speeches, and structured networking activities. All bsss activities are culturally specific, in that they are created and implemented by black professionals representing both public and private sectors acting in concert with black educators. Workshop topics stem from an annual black community needs assessment, conducted in conjunction with the bsss, so as to involve students and community members in generation and dissemination of solutions to academic, personal, and professional issues specific to the black experience. The overarching goal of the summit is to enhance students social capital such that they are empowered to be unlimited in their choice and pursuit of career. 420 high school and college students attended the bsss summit in 2016. A few key outcomes include 1) 84% of students made connections with black professionals who have careers in fields that students intend to pursue. 48% felt they found a potential mentor, 2) 75% of educators who attended the culturally responsive teaching workshop "strongly agree" that they will apply what they learned, and 3) 90% of students reported learning new facts about black leaders, with 53% of students able to recall the names and accomplishments of black leaders previously unknown to them. middle passage to education summit (mp2ed) the summit was a half-day event designed by black educators and industry professional as a culturally-specific orientation to high school, with attention paid to long-term student achievement goals. Although the summit was primarily to serve middle school students, workshops for parents and educators were also provided with the goal to buttress black student support at school and in the home. The summit occurred at university of portland on january 7, 2016. Program evaluation was created and completed with the purpose to determine: p1) student, parent and educator knowledge acquisition, p2) student interest and needs assessment (to be addressed in extended learning follow up sessions), and p3) challenges and successes with regard to summit implementation. The following data includes key findings for p1 and p2 above. P3 data was reviewed with beam collaborators in an effort to make programmatic improvements. It can be made public at the request of beam leadership. 91 middle school students attended, 6 educators, and 5 parents. As well as 92% of students returned to our follow-up sessions held on may 6th. In addition to engaging an additional 85 students on may 23rd 2016 for a special addition of the black history 101 mobile viewing. Bringing our total middle school students served to 206. The results of the combined data indicate that 91% of students felt the workshops were extremely helpful. When asked which workshop was their favorite students responded- mobile black history museum (28%), financial literacy (36%), afrocentric identity development and positive self image (10%), all (6%). Then, we asked students if they came back what they would like to learn: black history (32%), college/high school coursework and rules (23%), career options (19%), sports (13%), and financial literacy (10%). 50% of students wanted to attend follow up sessions during the year to learn more about black history 83% felt they had the chance to ask black professionals important questions 84% had the opportunity to interact one-on-one with black professionals 82% met other black students who could be going to their high school. Of those, 67% were certain. 59% of the students expressed intent to keep in contact with at least one professional they met that day who is doing student support programming. 90% of students reported learning new facts about black leaders and more than half (53%) of students could recall the names and accomplishments of black