My name is Shanya Hunter-Freeman, and I teach at Mott Hall Bronx High School in the Bronx, NY.  In addition to being a classroom teacher and Instructional Coach, I have the joy of being the ESI (Expanded Success Initiative) coordinator at my school.  It is through the work with ESI that our school is challenged to improve the achievement gap of Black and Latino males, primarily through building community and leadership skills amongst our young men.  

Through our work with ESI, we have been provided the wonderful opportunity to attend the Coalition of Schools Educating Boys of Color (COSEBOC) Annual Gathering of Leaders event that will be held in New York, NY, May 19-20, 2016.

Our school was able to pay for registration for ten young men and two adults to attend the workshops.  However, due to budget closing, we were unable to pay for hotel rooms for the group to stay in the city.  We want the boys to stay overnight for several reasons: 1) Safety.  We do not feel comfortable having our boys travel 45 minutes - 1 hour at 9pm at night.  Additionally, they will have to make the same trip the following day to arrive by 8 am.  2) We want the boys to be in the same location to build a sense of community with them and the other young men visiting from across the nation.  Our boys have many things going on at home and we want them to take advantage of this 2-day event to focus only on themselves, what they can control, contribute and maintain.

During this 2-day event, the boys will: 
1. Deeply reflect on their lives and establish an
     affirmative vision, mission and goals towards
     achieving their developing life’s purpose.
2. Network with other youth leaders and adults who
     specialize in male youth development.  
3. Engage in powerful discourse centered on the
     affirmative education and socialization of boys and
     young men of color
4. Participate in college tours and cultural excursions in
      the world’s greatest city
5. Make presentations centered on the conference
      theme
6. Experience culturally relevant and rites of passage
     workshops
7. Celebrate the joy of being boys and young men of
     color
8. Make a public oath declaring young manhood


I believe there are some events that can define who you strive to become for the rest of your life.  For me, it was in high school when I received the Ray A. Kroc award. I had never heard of it, but I learned that it was awarded to students that teachers respected and felt were respected by their peers through their citizenship, leadership, scholarship, and work with the community.  I never knew anybody was watching me or saw those qualities in me, so it has made me want to consistently exhibit those qualities.  

I have been watching these boys, other teachers and adminstrators have too.  We believe the Coalition of Schools Educating Boys of Color (COSEBOC) Student Voice conference will provide my students with the confidence, affirmation, and strategies they need to possess to become the academically astute, socially responsible, leaders we see in them.

Our Black and Latino students have unseen battles they deal with every day that can deter them from the greatness that is within them.  Having been given the same opportunity, I feel obligated to do the same for these young men who endeavor to become successful young men in society.


Because the event takes place within the month (May 19-20), the funds need to be approximated immediately.  

It would mean the world to me and my students if we were able to see this opportunity come to fruition.