The Governor’s Conference on Increasing the
High School Graduation Rate for African American Male Students

Mychal Wynn, Author/Consultant
Keynote Speaker

Robert Boykins, Parent Representative

John W. Garland, Esq., President, Central State University

Rodney Hughes, Teacher, Winton Hills Academy, Cincinnati

Dr. Alvin Jackson, Director, Ohio Department of Health

Pastor Frederick LaMarr, Family Missionary Baptist Church

Jonathan Lykes, Student, Shaw High School, E. Cleveland

Dr. Eugene Sanders, Superintendent, Cleveland

Dr. Sylvester Small, Superintendent, Akron

Maurice Sykes, Early Childhood Leadership Institute

Floyd Weatherspoon, Professor, Capital University School of Law

"To turn around Ohio and create more living-wage jobs,
we need to address this crisis.  Ohio's African American male low graduation rate is unacceptable.  I ask all Ohioans to join me in developing real solutions."
                                                             - Governor Ted Strickland

9:00 - 11:00 a.m.         Keynote and Panel Speakers

11:00 - Noon               Break outs/Workshops

Noon - 1:00 p.m.         Lunch  - Featuring Governor Strickland

1:00 - 2:30 p.m.           Reconvene Workshops

2:30 - 4:30 p.m.           District/Regional Planning 

4:30 - 5:00 p.m.           Closing Plenary: Workshop Leaders

2. The responsibility of the family -Tough love, no more excuses Education starts at home.
How can we work together to ensure that the primary educators and the family, have access to the right resources that will provide them with effective tools to help their child?

3. The responsibility of the religious community -Keeping the faith
Few voices can match the power of the pulpit, but how can we extend the role of the church beyond the sermon?

4. The responsibility of mentors -Beyond the role model
How can the community of African American men raise this next generation with personalized wisdom, character and social responsibility?

5. The responsibility of policy makers -Getting the best teachers to teach in challenging schools
What policies and contractual agreements lead to getting the most accomplished teachers to stay and teach in the most challenging schools?

6. The responsibility of students -Raising expectations and changing attitudes
What school structures and programs can create self confidence and hope and overcome negativity and defeat?

8. Investing in the ‘front side’ of life -Putting our pre-schoolers on the right path.
What can we do to enrich the academic and early literacy experience of our children, increase the cultural competency of their teachers and help them enter kindergarten ready to learn and interact effectively?

9. The responsibility of colleges -A call to teach: African–American men needed
The continual decline of African-American men in the classroom is alarming. How can we recruit and retain higher numbers of African-American male teachers in our schools?

10. The responsibility of elected officials -What can city, county and state governments do?
How can all parts of government be leveraged to increase the graduation rate for African-American males?

11. The responsibility of business leaders -Connecting teenagers to future jobs
Where are the internships, field experiences and shadowing opportunities?

12. The responsibility of the juvenile justice system -Preparing incarcerated youth for academic success
What’s working in detention homes and juvenile centers to prepare students for academic success?