Education
Former Gang Member Turns Life Around to Become Missouri’s 2021 Teacher of the Year
Darrion Cockrell , who was recently named Missouri’s 2021 Teacher of the Year., was a gang member by the time he reached the age of 10.
When Darrion Cockrell was 10 years old, he was already a gang member, heading down a dark path in life.
Life as a gang member
“We were just already in it because of our family,” Cockrell told Good Morning America of that chapter of his life.
“I didn’t care about books… I had to go home and figure out what I was eating…I had to figure out if my lights were going to be on.”
2021 Missouri Teacher of the Year
This year, the 34-year-old elementary school physical education teacher who works in Crestwood, Missouri, is now Missouri’s 2021 Teacher of the Year.
“I still can’t believe it,” Cockrell told Good Morning America of the honor, which has been bestowed on only 51 other people in the state of Missouri.
But it wasn’t an easy road as Cockrell had to face many obstacles to become a teacher.
Darrion Cockrell was raised in foster care
Growing up, Cockrell had trouble finding a stable living situation.
He was raised as a young child by both his grandmother and a series of revolving foster parents after his father, a drug dealer, was murdered and his mother battled drug addiction, according to Cockrell.
Teachers saved his life
Cockrell credits his teachers with saving his life when he was a young gang member in St. Louis, Missouri.
When he was in the seventh grade after his grandmother again lost custody of him and his siblings, Cockrell’s football coach and his wife took him into their home. He lived with them until graduating high school.
Crockrell went on to play football for two years in college and eventually earned a degree from the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
Darrion Cockrell becomes a teacher
Two years after graduating from college, Cockrell, now married and a father of a 3-year-old son, landed his first full-time teaching job at Crestwood Elementary, where he is in his sixth year of teaching physical education to students in kindergarten through fifth grade.
Known as “Mr. DC” to students and his fellow teachers, Cockrell has taken his love for physical education to the whole community.
He started the Crest-Fit training program that provides after-school workouts for teachers and students’ families and the Dads’ Club Open Gym, a weekly event for local dads to play basketball.
Cockrell, who is the first male to win Missouri’s top education award since 2015, said he is particularly happy to win the award for his work teaching physical education, the class he credits with keeping him in school as a kid.
“PE is just as important as social studies and science and math,” he said.
“As long as you understand those building blocks of fitness and health and taking care of yourself, then you can do anything you want in the world.”
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Black Excellence
BLK Dating App Launches Summer “MBA” Program for Recent HBCU Graduates
BLK dating and lifestyle app for the Black community proudly unveils their new endeavor: The BLK MBA (Master of Black Affection) Program.
BLK dating and lifestyle app for the Black community proudly unveils their new endeavor: The BLK MBA (Master of Black Affection) Program.
The BLK MBA (Master of Black Affection) Program
Created to empower and support recent graduates from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) facing post-graduation employment challenges, this innovative initiative seeks to redefine both professional and dating dynamics, while providing financial support to young job-seekers.
Improving employment rates
At its core, the BLK MBA Program creates an opportunity for recent HBCU graduates to navigate the journey from academia to the workforce.
Despite improving graduation rates, systemic and cultural obstacles often obstruct the path to employment for Black graduates. African Americans with college degrees are twice as likely to be unemployed as other graduates, with 12.4 percent of Black college graduates being unemployed, a rate significantly higher than the 5.6 percent average for all college graduates. BLK recognizes the need for solutions to fix this gap.
Summer of growth and discovery
The program isn’t your traditional MBA program – there will be no coursework or thesis statements. Instead, BLK will select three outstanding graduates from HBCUs, inviting them to embark on a summer of growth and discovery. These participants will immerse themselves in the vibrant BLK community, exploring networking and connections on the app. Along the way, they’ll share feedback to make the user experience even better, working alongside the brand to gain a deeper understanding of how Black Gen-Z approaches dating, networking and creating connections. Each participant will be awarded a stipend to support them during their journey.
BLK MBA Program Application
The application process for the BLK MBA Program commences in May, inviting recent HBCU graduates to apply.
Applicants will be required to submit their resumes and a personal statement that showcases both their desire and need to be a part of the program. A panel of judges, comprising BLK brand team members and Black leaders from the BLK Advocacy Council, will evaluate applications to select three participants based on academic achievements, personal statements, and potential contributions.
Selected participants will embark on a transformative journey throughout the summer, immersing themselves in the vibrant BLK community to hone their networking skills and forge meaningful connections with other Black singles, recent graduates, young professionals and Black business leaders.
Participants will also proactively network, arrange meetings, and go on dates with the goal of fostering relationships that could lead to meaningful relationships and valuable job opportunities. As they navigate the digital dating landscape, participants will not only shape the future of dating experiences for Black Gen-Z individuals but also gain invaluable insights into effective networking strategies.
More information
For further information about the BLK MBA Program and details on how to apply, please visit https://www.theplugbyblk.com/blkmba2024.
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Culture
‘A Different World’ cast set to reunite for 10-City HBCU tour
The tour will kick off Feb. 29 in Atlanta, Georgia, followed by stops in Washington DC, Montgomery, Alabama and more.
In celebration of the sitcom’s 35+ year legacy, the cast of ‘A Different World’ will reunite for a national 10-city tour across HBCUs, reports PEOPLE.
A Different World HBCU tour
Darryl M. Bell (Ronald ‘Ron’ Johnson), Charnele Brown (Kimberly ‘Kim’ Reese), Jasmine Guy (Whitley Marion Gilbert Wayne), Kadeem Hardison (Dwayne Cleophus Wayne), Dawnn Lewis (Jaleesa Vinson Taylor), Cree Summer (Winifred ‘Freddie’ Brooks), Glynn Turman (Col. Bradford ‘Brad’ Taylor) and Sinbad (Walter Oakes) will participate on the tour.
The tour will feature panels and other events and will also be joined by producers Debbie Allen and Susan Fales.
Dates
The HBCU tour will kick off Feb. 29 in Georgia at Atlanta University Center, which include Spelman College, Clark Atlanta University, and Morehouse College.
Other locations include Washington, D.C. (hosted by Howard University) and Montgomery, Ala. (hosted by Alabama State University and Tuskegee University). Both will be in April but no date has been released yet.
More dates will be announced soon.
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Education
Spelman College receives $100 million donation, the highest in the college’s history
Spelman College has received its largest donation of $100 million from businesswoman and philanthropist Ronda Stryker and her husband, William Johnston, the chairman of Greenleaf Trust.
Spelman College has received its largest donation of $100 million from businesswoman and philanthropist Ronda Stryker and her husband, William Johnston, the chairman of Greenleaf Trust.
$100 million donation for Spelman is a blessing
The $100 million comes as the nation’s oldest historically Black college for women celebrates 100 years since its official name change from Spelman Baptist Seminary in Sept. 1924.
The college says the gift will help retain the best and brightest students by eliminating financial barriers during the admission process.
“We are invigorated and inspired by this incredible act of generosity,” said Dr. Helene Gayle, president of Spelman College during an interview on CBS Mornings.
“This gift is a critical step in our school’s mission to eliminate financial barriers to starting and finishing a Spelman education. We can’t thank Ronda Stryker enough for her selflessness and support as both a trustee and friend. There’s no doubt that Spelman College is better because of her.”
Spelman is Top ranked
Spelman College has been ranked as the #1 Historically Black College and / or University by U.S. News for 17 consecutive years.
The college has a variety of degree/major offerings but they produce the most graduates who pursue a PhD in science, technology, engineering or math, according to The National Science Foundation.
About Ronda Stryker
Ronda Stryker is an American billionaire heiress and granddaughter of Homer Stryker, an orthopedic surgeon and founder of Stryker Corporation.
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Unheard Voices Magazine LLC is a news reporting platform covered under Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research.
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