Five students from the Heights Career Tech Teacher Academy at Maple Heights High School recently attended the 2024 Black Men in Education Convening (BMEC) in Philadelphia. BMEC is the largest convening of Black male educators in the country. For three days, our students got to see roundtable discussions, participate in breakout sessions, and meet Black men and women who are making a difference in the field of education. Students were able to meet such notable individuals as Dr. Angela Davis, Joyce Abbott (inspiration for Abbott Elementary), Ericka Huggins, Tennessee State Representative Justin L. Pearson, Hamid Khalid, Dr. Greg Carr, Michael Harriott, Dr. Tyrone Howard, Dr. Gloria Ladson-Billings, and Chris Stewart.
Our students got to hear their stories and see first-hand the kind of difference people can make when they believe in their abilities and find their purpose. Senior Cameron McCorvey believes he learned lessons at BMEC that all Maple students need to learn. “This experience changed me. Seeing so many Black men out there trying to create change inspired me. It was meaningful to see how they dressed and the way they carried themselves. I saw so many Black males who have chosen to teach and devote their lives to helping others. This experience strengthened my desire to teach even more.” When asked about their experiences, all students appreciated seeing Black men who did not shy away from their authentic selves in the classroom. “Being surrounded by a collective of empowering men and women left me motivated to do more for my community and for myself,” says Tyrone Flenoy. “The biggest lesson that I received from (BMEC) was that there is a stereotype of black male teachers. Schools need us to be tough like security when things go wrong. Too often, Black male teachers are expected to shrink themselves, but why should we do that? Why should we change who we are just to sustain a job? I learned that my experiences as a Black male will help make me a great teacher.” All students were very appreciative of the opportunity to attend BMEC 2024 and hope to attend again next year.
