Seeking Leaders for the Leaders of Tomorrow

Tacoma School’s ‘Teaching Black Male Learners project at on UPS campus. Photos by Russ Carmack

In 2012 Tacoma Public Schools started the first Teaching Young Males of Color (TYMC) Book Club at Reed Elementary with twelve 4-5 grade students. In 2014 sixteen schools participated with about 75 students in grades 3-8.

The Book Clubs provide leadership opportunities and introduces high interest literature in a safe environment for Young Males of Color to interact with each other and books in a positive way

Volunteer leaders form positive and productive relations between staff, students, and school

Tacoma Public Schools is in need of host volunteers and facilities to keep the book clubs running through the summer months.  In addition they are hoping to add more clubs off campus; perhaps at your place of worship.

There will be an informational meeting regarding the book clubs so those that are interested can learn more and sign up to host for the summer. The event will be held on May 12, 2015 from 4:00-5:30 pm. at the Tacoma Public Schools Central Administration Building at 601 South 8th Street, Tacoma, WA 98405.
Free training is provided three times a year as are necessary materials, supplies and books. Commitment is ideally once a week and club size should be small (twelve students for each adult).  Keeping clubs small provide maximum opportunity for student voice. Book clubs are clubs not reading classes.

Although the focus of the TYMC book club has been young males of color, Young Ladies of Color are welcome to begin their own Book Club.

The next Book Club training will be held on June 3, 2015 5:00-7:00 pm in the 4th Floor Auditorium at the Central Administration Building.

The training will feature guest speaker Mychal Wynn.  Mr. Wynn is an educator, entrepreneur, consultant, author and motivational speaker.

Born into rural poverty in Pike County, Alabama during the year of the Montgomery Bus Boycott. At just six months of age, Mr. Wynn was given up for adoption and raised in urban poverty on the south side of Chicago. A low-performing student throughout elementary and middle school, Mr. Wynn beat odds to survive the gangs and despair of poverty to graduate with honors from Boston’s Northeastern University as his family’s first college graduate.

Mr. Wynn’s life journey has given him unique insight into the complex challenges and solutions to increasing the student achievement and widening the primary to postsecondary pipeline to college.

For more information on this program, please contact Patrick Johnson or Janice Wright.