The Centre of Excellence for Black Student Achievement hosted a screening and conversation on November 30th of Steadfast: The Message and the Messenger which tells the story of Jean Augustine's journey from Happy Hill, on the small island nation of Grenada, to being the first Black woman elected to Canada's House of Commons and the first Black woman to serve in Canada's federal Cabinet.

Learn more about the Screening with the Hon. Jean Augustine

Westview Centennial graduate excels in post-secondary thanks to Youth Participatory Action Research

First-year York University student Awwal Abass has achieved so much since graduating from Westview Centennial Secondary School and it all stems back to his participation in Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR). Abass recently finished his participation in YPAR in 2021 and is currently studying Law and Society at York University in the faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies.

We were able to catch up with Abass and ask him a few questions about YPAR and its impact, click below to hear what he had to say!

Learn More About YPAR's Impact On This Westview Centennial Graduate

Introduction to the Life Education Program

The Centre of Excellence for Black Student Achievement is thrilled to have launched the Life Education Program at the Toronto District School Board for the 2022-2023 academic year. Initiated and led by Social Worker Ryan Fuentes and aligned with the Centre of Excellence for Black Student Achievement mandates, the purpose of the program is to provide students with culturally relevant and responsive mentorship spaces that help to identify and facilitate Black-affirming healing practices and strategies to address stigma, anti-Black racism and racial trauma within educational institutions.

Learn More About the Life Education Program

TDSB makes history with first student-led Youth Participatory Action Research Conference

The YPAR Conference, Using Student Voice to Inform School Policies and Practices is the first of its kind in the country. It allowed what 13 Black-identifying students have researched and transformed it into an exciting opportunity for them to present their research and findings to TDSB staff and education partners. Throughout the conference they were able to share their experiences, perspectives and realities with attendees surrounding Pathways and Transitions, the Black identity in K-12 education, and equitable learning opportunities for Black students

Learn more about the YPAR Conference: Using Student Voice to Inform School Policies and Practices

Black CAP and the Centre of Excellence for Black Student Achievement collaborate to help students realize their passions

This summer, TDSB graduates Elizabeth Agyei from SATEC @ W.A. Porter CI and Ruth Abdi from East York CI, learned about community health care through their involvement with the Black Coalition for AIDS Prevention (Black CAP). Agyei and Abdi were given this opportunity by enrolling in the 2022 Black Student Summer Leadership Program (BSSLP). Both young women identified a passion in public health.

Learn More About Black CAP and the Centre of Excellence for Black Student Achievement

Black Student Summer Leadership Program brings student closer to his dreams

Nathaniel Cato-Simms is one step closer to his dream as an auto mechanic through the Black Student Summer Leadership Program. The Black Student Summer Leadership Program offered by the Centre of Excellence for Black Student Achievement provides registrants with paid summer learning opportunities, mentorship and training. During the program, students are matched with a for-profit or not-for-profit organization, representing a variety of employment sectors, and relevant to the students’ field of interest.

Learn More About the Black Student Summer Leadership Program

TDSB Students Score Second Place in Intuit "Lead with a Cause" Social Innovation Challenge

The Intuit “Lead with a Cause” Social Innovation Challenge, which launched in November 2021, asked secondary students to answer the question: How can your team help underrepresented (i.e. Black, Latinx, female, etc.) business owners access equitable opportunities to entrepreneurship and small business ownership? After months of planning, prepping and prototype building, Grade 11 student Lenecia Walters and her team of students from Georges Vanier Secondary School recently took home second place in the Intuit “Lead with a Cause” Social Innovation Challenge. The team competed at a regional and national level against nine school districts from across Canada and the United States to make it to the final round.

Learn More About the Intuit “Lead with a Cause” Social Innovation Challenge

Connect with Us!

The Centre of Excellence for Black Student Achievement focuses on improving the academic outcomes and experiences of belonging for Black students. The Centre of Excellence strives to support meaningful engagement and advocacy of caregivers and communities, improve communication about Black student success and provide guidance with system navigation.

Location: 2239 Lawrence Ave E, Scarborough, ON, M1P 2P7

Office phone number: (416) 396-2351

Email: cebsa@tdsb.on.ca

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