County Students Encouraged to Think About the Future at Black Student Summit

Approximately 300 middle school students from across the county came together to attend workshops on college preparation, leadership, black empowerment, building resilience, bullying prevention, and more at the 3rd Annual Black Student Summit. 

The event theme was: Our Voice, Our Power, Our Future - The Future We Create, The Legacy We Leave.

The summit, hosted by the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) is an opportunity to promote excellence in education, culture, empowerment, values, and purpose for middle school students. It addresses the academic achievement of black students and educates students about the Black diaspora experience through interactive sessions on a variety of topics. It started three years ago as a way to encourage middle school students to start thinking about and planning for their future. 

“Our goal is to make sure our kids get all that they need to be all that they can be both today and in the future, and middle school is that time when they are making decisions for life,” said Dr. Leilah Kirkendoll, director at SDCOE and co-coordinator of the summit. "This summit may help them with decisions that will change the trajectory of their lives."

Keynote speaker Jordon Jerome Harrison kicked off the summit with some encouraging words about resilience and the importance of how we respond to the challenges we face every day.

“It’s all about the belief and the rebound and building a legacy worth having,” he said. He challenged all students to select one area they would improve and identify how they would go about making that change. 

Following Harrison’s remarks, students broke into groups and rotated through a variety of breakout sessions. Workshop topics included college and career readiness, developing leadership potential, literacy and literature, bullying prevention, skill building, and historically black colleges and universities. 

Oshaelayia and Isaiah, students at Chavez Middle in Oceanside, said the Fancy Teen Girls session about leadership was fun and were looking forward to attending more sessions.

“I think it’s a good place to be, you’ll meet people. And anyone interested should go,” Isaiah said.  

"SDCOE is committed to creating learning environments where all students feel a sense of belonging and are celebrated for who they are, not dismissed for what they lack," said Dr. Gloria E. Ciriza, county superintendent of schools. "The San Diego County Board of Education’s goals include connecting educational experiences to the world of work so students are prepared for college and beyond. This includes providing opportunities and supports so that all students are successful. Hosting events and opportunities like this summit demonstrate our commitment to these goals."

Presenters included Tamara Allen-Muhammad and Cheryl Carr, Young and Prosperous Foundation; Ronald Clark, founder of Club FBS; Tinesia Conwright, Fancy Teen Girls; Jenée Peevy, San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE); Mick Rabin, San Diego Unified School District; Joe Smith, Lemon Grove School District; Dr. Lavar Watkins, president and CEO of LKW STEM Foundation. Learn more about the speakers and workshops on the event website.

Schools in attendance at the summit included: Bell Middle, Guajome Park Academy, Mar Vista Academy, Harriet Tubman Village Charter, Iftin Charter, Mann Middle, Pershing Middle, Lemon Grove Academy, La Mesa Arts Academy, and from Oceanside: MLK, Santa Margarita, Chavez Middle, Lincoln, Stuart Mesa, and Jefferson. 

The summit was sponsored by SDCOE with support from the Association of African American Educators, National College Resources Foundation, and San Diego Community College District Continuing Education.