The School District has officially reinstated the 444-Sankofa Passages Program. Your commitment to these students proved vital in securing this positive outcome. We will monitor the upcoming implementation process to ensure the program receives the necessary resources.
January 2, 2015
Final supporters
On August 27, 2014 the School District of Philadelphia implemented a series of severe budget cuts; one of which eliminated the 444-Sankofa Passages Program.
The 444-Sankofa Passages Program is an innovative program intended to meet the academic, social and emotional needs of African-American, Latino boys and other young men of color. For the past five years, the 444-Sankofa Passages Program worked with the School District of Philadelphia to prepare young men and boys of color for life successes and challenges of the 21st century. These young men were provided opportunities to develop their academic & cultural knowledge, technical skills as well as their personal, psychological and physical development. This was accomplished by working with these young men daily during school hours; local and out-of-state trips; post-secondary preparation and exposure; as well as an annual Summer Leadership Institute. The program’s goal was to ensure that our African American, Latino and other male students of color were able to navigate and overcome the day-to-day challenges of inner-city youth, while also helping them to defy the stereotypical narratives often placed on these young men.
The 444-Sankofa Passages Program which was developed by the Coalition of Schools Educating Boys of Color (C.O.S.E.B.O.C.) has helped over a thousand at-risk African American, Latino and other young male students of color in Philadelphia turn their lives around. Sankofa participants achieved a 98% graduation rate, improved their promotion rate to 94%, and we saw an 85% increase in attendance, plus 89% fewer violent incidents and adverse behaviors. 80% of Sankofa students were ranked ‘exceptional’ on the District’s own performance matrix; 90% were mid-range or higher.
On Friday, September 5, 2014 the program, its 16 facilitators and other staff members received pink slips. Over 350 young men of color in 7 Philadelphia high schools lost the program on which they deeply depended.
While we understand the current economic crisis within the School District of Philadelphia, we want all boys of color to succeed in school and in life. Programs like Sankofa that are making a difference for Philadelphia’s at-risk male students should not just go up in smoke at the stroke of political pens.
Help us stand up for the 444-Sankofa Passages Program,
the facilitators and most importantly the students who benefit from a
leadership program that promotes educational and life successes.
We need your help to save the 444-Sankofa Passages Program!
Please sign the petition so the program can be reinstated in the
Philadelphia schools when budgets are reevaluated by the School Reform
Commission.
We the undersigned insist that the 444-Sankofa Passages
Program be reinstated in the Philadelphia Schools.
Updates
Reached 250 supporters
November 12, 2014
November 10, 2014
The momentum surrounding the 444-Sankofa Passages Program continues to build as we approach two hundred and fifty signatures. Please forward this petition to your contacts to ensure the School District of Philadelphia recognizes the depth of our collective resolve. Sustained engagement remains vital to restoring these essential services for our students.
Reached 100 supporters
October 30, 2014
October 28, 2014
The momentum behind this petition continues to build as we approach one hundred signatures. Please take a moment to forward this link to your personal network to ensure we reach this important threshold.
113 Comments
Nothing compared to the experience I've had in Sankofa. The bringing of young men together, pushing them out of their comfort zones, pushing them to do their best. This program is one of the best things that's happened at my school. And one of the best things that's happened to me, As I made my transition into manhood
I johnny brown am a member of the sankofa passage program. The program helped me develop better social skills, it tought me the essance of greatness, "the essance of greatness is being able to overcome your surroundings. The program teaches self discipline and self perseverance. Because of the program I'm able to survive in any environment mentally.
I witnessed the power of this program in three schools. Sankofa profoundly impacted the culture of those schools not only on a student body level, but faculty and adminstrative levels as well. Removing the programs was romoving something that worked. Makes one wonder- Do we really want our young men of color to succeed?
I have seen the first hand effects Sankofa has had on the students at Kensington CAPA high school. Our entire school family can greatly feel the absence of the Sankofa program both on an academic and more profoundly on an emotional level. Our students deserve and thrive on the motivation and hope the Sankofa brotherhood provided.
I have witnessed the positive, life transforming impact Sankofa Passages has had on the lives of young men who traditionally have been overlooked, negelcted and misunderstood in public education. As an educator who works specifically with young men of African-American and Latino ancestry, Sankofa Passages is the education that all young men across the nation, need and deserve.
Sounds like a wonderful program
The School District needs this program!
Share this petition
Share this petition to help it reach more people.
Your share link
The School District has officially reinstated the 444-Sankofa Passages Program. Your commitment to these students proved vital in securing this positive outcome. We will monitor the upcoming implementation process to ensure the program receives the necessary resources.
January 2, 2015
Final supporters
On August 27, 2014 the School District of Philadelphia implemented a series of severe budget cuts; one of which eliminated the 444-Sankofa Passages Program.
The 444-Sankofa Passages Program is an innovative program intended to meet the academic, social and emotional needs of African-American, Latino boys and other young men of color. For the past five years, the 444-Sankofa Passages Program worked with the School District of Philadelphia to prepare young men and boys of color for life successes and challenges of the 21st century. These young men were provided opportunities to develop their academic & cultural knowledge, technical skills as well as their personal, psychological and physical development. This was accomplished by working with these young men daily during school hours; local and out-of-state trips; post-secondary preparation and exposure; as well as an annual Summer Leadership Institute. The program’s goal was to ensure that our African American, Latino and other male students of color were able to navigate and overcome the day-to-day challenges of inner-city youth, while also helping them to defy the stereotypical narratives often placed on these young men.
The 444-Sankofa Passages Program which was developed by the Coalition of Schools Educating Boys of Color (C.O.S.E.B.O.C.) has helped over a thousand at-risk African American, Latino and other young male students of color in Philadelphia turn their lives around. Sankofa participants achieved a 98% graduation rate, improved their promotion rate to 94%, and we saw an 85% increase in attendance, plus 89% fewer violent incidents and adverse behaviors. 80% of Sankofa students were ranked ‘exceptional’ on the District’s own performance matrix; 90% were mid-range or higher.
On Friday, September 5, 2014 the program, its 16 facilitators and other staff members received pink slips. Over 350 young men of color in 7 Philadelphia high schools lost the program on which they deeply depended.
While we understand the current economic crisis within the School District of Philadelphia, we want all boys of color to succeed in school and in life. Programs like Sankofa that are making a difference for Philadelphia’s at-risk male students should not just go up in smoke at the stroke of political pens.
Help us stand up for the 444-Sankofa Passages Program,
the facilitators and most importantly the students who benefit from a
leadership program that promotes educational and life successes.
We need your help to save the 444-Sankofa Passages Program!
Please sign the petition so the program can be reinstated in the
Philadelphia schools when budgets are reevaluated by the School Reform
Commission.
We the undersigned insist that the 444-Sankofa Passages
Program be reinstated in the Philadelphia Schools.
Updates
Reached 250 supporters
November 12, 2014
November 10, 2014
The momentum surrounding the 444-Sankofa Passages Program continues to build as we approach two hundred and fifty signatures. Please forward this petition to your contacts to ensure the School District of Philadelphia recognizes the depth of our collective resolve. Sustained engagement remains vital to restoring these essential services for our students.
Reached 100 supporters
October 30, 2014
October 28, 2014
The momentum behind this petition continues to build as we approach one hundred signatures. Please take a moment to forward this link to your personal network to ensure we reach this important threshold.
113 Comments
This program is extremely valuable. As a professor at Howard university, I have he the opportunity to work with these young men when they came to Howard as part of their rites of passage.
Nothing compared to the experience I've had in Sankofa. The bringing of young men together, pushing them out of their comfort zones, pushing them to do their best. This program is one of the best things that's happened at my school. And one of the best things that's happened to me, As I made my transition into manhood
I johnny brown am a member of the sankofa passage program. The program helped me develop better social skills, it tought me the essance of greatness, "the essance of greatness is being able to overcome your surroundings. The program teaches self discipline and self perseverance. Because of the program I'm able to survive in any environment mentally.
I witnessed the power of this program in three schools. Sankofa profoundly impacted the culture of those schools not only on a student body level, but faculty and adminstrative levels as well. Removing the programs was romoving something that worked. Makes one wonder- Do we really want our young men of color to succeed?
I have seen the first hand effects Sankofa has had on the students at Kensington CAPA high school. Our entire school family can greatly feel the absence of the Sankofa program both on an academic and more profoundly on an emotional level. Our students deserve and thrive on the motivation and hope the Sankofa brotherhood provided.
I have witnessed the positive, life transforming impact Sankofa Passages has had on the lives of young men who traditionally have been overlooked, negelcted and misunderstood in public education. As an educator who works specifically with young men of African-American and Latino ancestry, Sankofa Passages is the education that all young men across the nation, need and deserve.
Sounds like a wonderful program
The School District needs this program!
Share this petition
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Your share link
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This program is extremely valuable. As a professor at Howard university, I have he the opportunity to work with these young men when they came to Howard as part of their rites of passage.