UPDATE: Registration for the African American Male Summit has been extended to Thursday, Jan. 18.
“Life Ready: Developing your Blueprint for the DREAM,” is the theme for the school division’s 11th Annual African American Male Summit. The event is open to all Virginia Beach City Public Schools male students in grades 6-12 and will be held Saturday, Jan. 20, 2018, at Kellam High School from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Students planning to attend are encouraged to register in their school counseling office by Thursday, Jan. 18.
The annual event commemorates Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. through the demonstration of student leadership, community involvement, physical and mental well-being and relationship building sessions. As the inspiration for this year’s theme, event organizers cite an excerpt from a speech King delivered to an audience at a junior high school in 1967: “Be the best of whatever you are.” Organizers said “the words resonate the spirit of total well-being and leadership that we want to cultivate in young men across our school division. We want our youth to recognize the importance of total well-being as an essential component of being life ready.”
Emphasizing the theme will be keynote speaker, Honorable Judge Kevin M. Duffan, of the Virginia Beach Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court. Duffan is a graduate of Green Run High School, James Madison University and the William & Mary School of Law.
Following the keynote address, students will have the opportunity to engage in breakout sessions led by small business leaders, doctors, nutritionists, mental health professionals, college and university staff, law enforcement, Navy SEALs and more. Due to the active nature of the sessions this year, participants are asked to wear khaki pants or dark pants with a school t-shirt or school colors to represent their middle or high school.
Parents are also invited to register for the summit and participate in Parent Institute sessions.
The African American Male Summit is sponsored by the school division’s Office of Opportunity and Achievement. For more information, contact Dr. LaQuiche Parrott, director, at 757-263-1218.
Can 5th grade male studens register for the summit?
The summit is for any Virginia Beach student in grades 6-12. However, each year, select fifth-grade students who attend nearby elementary schools are invited to participate in portions of the summit. To see if this is the case for your child’s school, please check with the Office of Opportunity and Achievement at 757-263-1218.
My grandson, an African American senior with a 3.4 GPA is very interested, but he attends Deep Creek. However, his dad and I live in Virginia Beach. Can he attend
I need somebody tell me what is that mean.
Hello since there was no school today due to the weather. Can I still register my child for the summit. Please let me know. Thanks and have a nice day!!
The school division hosted its Annual African American Male Summit on January 20. The event was rescheduled to January 20 due to snow. Enjoy photos from the event on the school division’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pg/VBSchools/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1567723000009718