1 00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:01,334 (beeping) 2 00:00:01,334 --> 00:00:03,918 (tense music) 3 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:07,000 Downloaded from YTS.MX 4 00:00:04,918 --> 00:00:07,751 (sirens wailing) 5 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:13,000 Official YIFY movies site: YTS.MX 6 00:00:08,500 --> 00:00:11,209 (car horn hooting) 7 00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:15,626 (students yelling) 8 00:00:15,709 --> 00:00:18,000 - [students] We fight, and fight, and fight! 9 00:00:18,083 --> 00:00:20,209 (students chanting) 10 00:00:23,167 --> 00:00:26,792 We are graduates, we are graduates, we are graduates! 11 00:00:26,876 --> 00:00:29,000 (audience cheering) 12 00:00:31,667 --> 00:00:34,083 - So who's graduating today? 13 00:00:35,792 --> 00:00:37,751 Our trailblazers are graduating today, right? 14 00:00:37,834 --> 00:00:40,918 On this day we recognize and witness 15 00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:44,167 something really unique here in the heart of The Bronx. 16 00:00:44,250 --> 00:00:46,083 Young boys that have made a commitment 17 00:00:46,167 --> 00:00:51,209 to spend seven years at Eagle, and graduate as young men. 18 00:00:52,375 --> 00:00:56,918 So at this time I'd like to acknowledge Mr. David Banks, 19 00:00:57,000 --> 00:00:59,626 the Eagle Academy Foundation staff 20 00:00:59,709 --> 00:01:03,959 for all of their support and commitment to our young men. 21 00:01:04,042 --> 00:01:05,209 Brother Banks. 22 00:01:05,292 --> 00:01:08,584 (audience cheering) 23 00:01:08,667 --> 00:01:11,751 - You're gonna hear a lot of congratulatory remarks 24 00:01:11,834 --> 00:01:13,209 and speeches, but I wanna just leave you 25 00:01:13,292 --> 00:01:14,626 with some real talk. 26 00:01:15,542 --> 00:01:19,167 Young men, you are stepping into a world 27 00:01:19,751 --> 00:01:21,083 that doesn't care for you. 28 00:01:23,292 --> 00:01:24,334 You need to hear that. 29 00:01:24,417 --> 00:01:27,209 You are stepping into a world with all of your gifts 30 00:01:27,292 --> 00:01:29,417 and your talents, and your beliefs, and yourself. 31 00:01:29,500 --> 00:01:33,250 You are stepping into a world that does not believe in you. 32 00:01:34,334 --> 00:01:38,250 You are going to face challenges each and every day 33 00:01:40,959 --> 00:01:44,125 in a world that doesn't see your promise or your potential, 34 00:01:44,209 --> 00:01:46,834 and even if they saw it, could care less about it. 35 00:01:46,918 --> 00:01:48,042 That's real talk. 36 00:01:48,918 --> 00:01:49,792 So I want you to remember this. 37 00:01:49,876 --> 00:01:53,042 In spite of all of those things, 38 00:01:53,125 --> 00:01:55,667 anybody who really knows me, 39 00:01:55,751 --> 00:02:00,209 knows that my greatest hero of all time was Muhammad Ali. 40 00:02:01,250 --> 00:02:05,542 And Muhammad Ali had his title taken away from him, 41 00:02:05,626 --> 00:02:07,834 and he had to come back after three and a half years 42 00:02:07,918 --> 00:02:10,042 and fight for the title again. 43 00:02:10,125 --> 00:02:13,209 And on the day that they came in, and Ali said, "What? 44 00:02:13,292 --> 00:02:14,083 "The champ is here!" 45 00:02:14,167 --> 00:02:16,959 And everybody sat there, and wait a minute, 46 00:02:17,042 --> 00:02:21,042 "You don't have the title, George Foreman has the title." 47 00:02:21,125 --> 00:02:24,375 And Ali said, "I never said I was the titleholder. 48 00:02:24,459 --> 00:02:26,125 "I said I was the champ." 49 00:02:26,209 --> 00:02:27,876 There's a difference. 50 00:02:29,125 --> 00:02:32,042 You are gonna have to lead your life in a way, 51 00:02:32,125 --> 00:02:35,751 when you get knocked down, you hear that in your spirit, 52 00:02:35,834 --> 00:02:37,209 "The champ is here." 53 00:02:37,292 --> 00:02:39,209 You're not supposed to stay on the ground. 54 00:02:39,292 --> 00:02:43,209 Always remember, when challenges hit, the champ is here. 55 00:02:43,292 --> 00:02:45,500 Repeat after me young men of Eagle Academy, 56 00:02:45,584 --> 00:02:46,167 the champ is here! 57 00:02:46,250 --> 00:02:48,250 - [Students] The champ is here! 58 00:02:48,334 --> 00:02:49,584 - Oh, I can't hear you, that's not gonna get it done! 59 00:02:49,667 --> 00:02:51,083 Those are just words! 60 00:02:51,167 --> 00:02:52,209 I'm talking about from your spirit, 61 00:02:52,292 --> 00:02:55,167 because nobody else will be able to say it for you. 62 00:02:55,250 --> 00:02:56,334 What are you gonna say? 63 00:02:56,417 --> 00:02:56,959 - [Students] The champ is here! 64 00:02:57,042 --> 00:02:57,918 - [David] I can't hear you! 65 00:02:58,000 --> 00:02:59,834 - [Students] The champ is here! 66 00:02:59,918 --> 00:03:00,959 - [David] I can't hear you! 67 00:03:01,042 --> 00:03:02,125 - [Students] The champ is here! 68 00:03:02,209 --> 00:03:03,334 - [David] You need to be up! 69 00:03:03,417 --> 00:03:04,375 - [Students] The champ is here! 70 00:03:04,459 --> 00:03:05,584 - [David] What you say? 71 00:03:05,667 --> 00:03:06,751 Who's here? 72 00:03:06,834 --> 00:03:08,709 - [Students] The champ is here! 73 00:03:08,792 --> 00:03:11,125 - Eagle Academy, you're all that, the world needs you. 74 00:03:11,209 --> 00:03:12,918 We love you, we believe in you. 75 00:03:13,000 --> 00:03:14,417 The champ is here, God bless you. 76 00:03:14,500 --> 00:03:17,334 (audience cheering) 77 00:03:17,417 --> 00:03:19,209 (dramatic music) 78 00:03:25,792 --> 00:03:29,959 I got the greatest story that has never been told. 79 00:03:31,459 --> 00:03:35,292 And it's the story of the empowerment, 80 00:03:35,375 --> 00:03:38,375 the uplifting, the transformation of young men of color. 81 00:03:40,209 --> 00:03:42,334 And it's a story that if it's told right 82 00:03:44,792 --> 00:03:48,209 can help to lift young men and school systems 83 00:03:48,292 --> 00:03:50,125 all across this nation. 84 00:03:50,876 --> 00:03:53,792 (sirens wailing) 85 00:03:55,876 --> 00:03:58,042 One of the things I can tell you 86 00:03:58,125 --> 00:04:00,959 as a person who's been in education so long, 87 00:04:01,042 --> 00:04:04,250 that we have been watching young men of color, 88 00:04:04,334 --> 00:04:06,000 and primarily African American boys 89 00:04:06,083 --> 00:04:09,083 who are completely under assault. 90 00:04:09,167 --> 00:04:13,042 They're under assault from the forces in their community, 91 00:04:13,125 --> 00:04:15,000 whether it be gangs. 92 00:04:15,083 --> 00:04:18,000 They're under assault from the low expectations of teachers, 93 00:04:18,083 --> 00:04:20,250 very often who don't know how to work and manage them, 94 00:04:20,334 --> 00:04:21,042 and get the best out of them. 95 00:04:21,125 --> 00:04:23,209 They're under assault, very often, 96 00:04:23,292 --> 00:04:24,250 from the police who fear them. 97 00:04:26,792 --> 00:04:27,792 They're under assault in their own families 98 00:04:27,876 --> 00:04:31,167 with fathers who deserted them. 99 00:04:34,083 --> 00:04:35,876 And then they're under assault from the media, 100 00:04:35,959 --> 00:04:39,834 which rarely shows images of positive young men 101 00:04:39,918 --> 00:04:41,709 and positive men of color. 102 00:04:41,792 --> 00:04:43,500 And I don't think any of these things are by accident. 103 00:04:43,584 --> 00:04:49,375 But in concert, they work to serve to undermine and to keep 104 00:04:50,417 --> 00:04:53,751 young men from ever truly believing in themselves. 105 00:04:53,834 --> 00:04:56,292 My good friend Shawn Dove who is the head of the campaign 106 00:04:56,375 --> 00:05:00,042 for Black Male Achievement, he had started this periodical, 107 00:05:00,125 --> 00:05:03,292 and he decided to focus on my father and I. 108 00:05:03,375 --> 00:05:05,876 So you'll see the picture, and I was the principal, 109 00:05:05,959 --> 00:05:07,209 and that's my dad. 110 00:05:07,292 --> 00:05:09,000 My dad was the ultimate role model for me, 111 00:05:09,083 --> 00:05:12,000 and what I learned and I got from him 112 00:05:12,083 --> 00:05:13,042 ultimately became part of the very fabric 113 00:05:13,125 --> 00:05:15,042 of what I tried to lead with 114 00:05:15,125 --> 00:05:17,000 in the experience at Eagle Academy. 115 00:05:17,083 --> 00:05:20,042 And now today we have six schools 116 00:05:20,125 --> 00:05:22,918 and almost 3,000 young men across our schools. 117 00:05:23,000 --> 00:05:23,876 - Over 900 alum. 118 00:05:23,959 --> 00:05:25,375 - Over 900 alum, yeah. 119 00:05:25,459 --> 00:05:28,834 So we've come a long way. 120 00:05:30,292 --> 00:05:32,709 When we started the Eagle Academy back in 2004, 121 00:05:32,792 --> 00:05:35,292 there was a report that Columbia University put out 122 00:05:35,375 --> 00:05:40,042 which said that 75% of the inmates 123 00:05:40,125 --> 00:05:43,834 from the entire New York State correctional system 124 00:05:43,918 --> 00:05:46,500 came from seven neighborhoods in New York City. 125 00:05:48,334 --> 00:05:50,417 That's just unbelievable to me. 126 00:05:50,500 --> 00:05:54,167 75%? 127 00:05:54,167 --> 00:05:57,167 It's bad enough if you said that 75% 128 00:05:57,250 --> 00:05:59,959 of the prison population for the entire state of New York 129 00:06:00,042 --> 00:06:01,834 came from New York City. 130 00:06:01,918 --> 00:06:03,375 And then when you couple that with the fact 131 00:06:03,459 --> 00:06:05,918 that the graduation rate for black males in New York City 132 00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:09,250 at that time was only about 32%. 133 00:06:09,334 --> 00:06:12,876 That's seven out of 10 young men are not gonna make it 134 00:06:12,959 --> 00:06:15,334 even to high school graduation. 135 00:06:16,584 --> 00:06:18,167 And then what happens to them? 136 00:06:18,250 --> 00:06:18,959 They don't disappear. 137 00:06:19,042 --> 00:06:21,209 They find themselves engaged 138 00:06:21,292 --> 00:06:23,209 with the Criminal Justice System. 139 00:06:23,292 --> 00:06:26,292 How many more of these negative images and stories? 140 00:06:26,375 --> 00:06:28,292 We can do better than that. 141 00:06:28,375 --> 00:06:31,250 We have the potential to do better. 142 00:06:31,334 --> 00:06:31,584 We know better. 143 00:06:34,125 --> 00:06:35,918 But we just have to fight for change. 144 00:06:36,000 --> 00:06:38,459 Eagle is a part of that fight, 145 00:06:38,542 --> 00:06:41,000 and that's what I stand on each and every day. 146 00:06:41,709 --> 00:06:44,584 (sirens wailing) 147 00:06:47,709 --> 00:06:49,125 (school bell ringing) 148 00:06:49,209 --> 00:06:51,083 - [Teacher] Good morning, Academy! 149 00:06:51,167 --> 00:06:52,918 - [Students] Good morning, sir! 150 00:06:53,000 --> 00:06:54,459 You know what, we're gonna rabble this up 151 00:06:54,542 --> 00:06:56,542 before we get up for the Pledge. 152 00:06:56,626 --> 00:06:59,000 The loudest house today will get 30 points. 153 00:06:59,083 --> 00:07:00,918 Lee Rivera, please give me your ear. 154 00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:03,584 For Ali House, that's down here, a little cute. 155 00:07:03,667 --> 00:07:04,626 Mandela House! 156 00:07:04,709 --> 00:07:06,918 - [Students] I was born to rule! 157 00:07:07,000 --> 00:07:08,918 - Schomburg House! 158 00:07:09,000 --> 00:07:10,500 - [Students] Retrieve the past, create the future! 159 00:07:10,584 --> 00:07:11,542 - Schomburg House! 160 00:07:11,626 --> 00:07:14,375 - [Students] Retrieve the past, create the future! 161 00:07:14,459 --> 00:07:16,167 - A lot of people don't believe 162 00:07:16,250 --> 00:07:18,959 that you should have a single-gender model 163 00:07:19,042 --> 00:07:20,334 in a traditional public school. 164 00:07:20,417 --> 00:07:23,083 Because on it's face what that means 165 00:07:23,167 --> 00:07:26,584 is that your daughter can't attend this public school. 166 00:07:26,667 --> 00:07:29,459 So you as a taxpayer who says, 167 00:07:29,542 --> 00:07:32,334 "My salary, my taxes are paying the salary 168 00:07:32,417 --> 00:07:36,959 "of the teachers in that school, and by definition 169 00:07:37,042 --> 00:07:41,209 "my child is excluded from going to that school." 170 00:07:41,292 --> 00:07:44,876 They see it as unconstitutional on its face. 171 00:07:44,959 --> 00:07:46,500 - Sixth grade, I am? 172 00:07:46,584 --> 00:07:49,459 (students chanting) 173 00:07:50,542 --> 00:07:52,209 - Level one, you guys. 174 00:07:52,292 --> 00:07:54,709 Gentlemen, let's appear for our wonderful day 175 00:07:54,792 --> 00:07:57,083 of learning today academically, 176 00:07:57,751 --> 00:07:59,459 and let's support one another. 177 00:07:59,542 --> 00:08:01,667 (school bell ringing) 178 00:08:01,751 --> 00:08:03,375 - Very often, left to their own, 179 00:08:03,459 --> 00:08:06,584 schools select the highest performing students. 180 00:08:06,667 --> 00:08:10,125 The students who are really eager to learn, 181 00:08:10,209 --> 00:08:11,375 and are not gonna present a problem. 182 00:08:11,459 --> 00:08:16,042 Everybody chooses the path of least resistance. 183 00:08:16,125 --> 00:08:17,959 It's natural. 184 00:08:18,042 --> 00:08:21,209 - Our first entrance activity has to do with data analysis. 185 00:08:21,292 --> 00:08:22,751 - Black boys who are behind academically, 186 00:08:22,834 --> 00:08:26,500 they are the demographic that everybody is trying to avoid. 187 00:08:29,167 --> 00:08:31,083 'Cause they don't make your numbers look good, 188 00:08:31,167 --> 00:08:33,417 they can be a real handful, even for the best of teachers. 189 00:08:33,500 --> 00:08:36,417 Nobody's running to save these young men. 190 00:08:36,500 --> 00:08:38,959 - And it doesn't matter what career you have-- 191 00:08:39,042 --> 00:08:41,334 - That is the population that we have asked for. 192 00:08:41,417 --> 00:08:43,417 That's the reason we were created in the first place, 193 00:08:43,500 --> 00:08:46,626 because we see the promise and the potential 194 00:08:46,709 --> 00:08:48,083 in each and every one of them. 195 00:08:48,167 --> 00:08:51,083 (sirens wailing) 196 00:08:56,542 --> 00:08:58,209 - Growing up in the South Bronx, 197 00:08:58,292 --> 00:09:00,209 in the summer it is hard to tell the difference 198 00:09:00,292 --> 00:09:02,250 between fireworks and a gunshot. 199 00:09:02,334 --> 00:09:04,250 A lot of people believe that, 200 00:09:04,334 --> 00:09:06,167 "You're from the South Bronx. 201 00:09:06,250 --> 00:09:07,584 "You're not gonna make it, you're not gonna go to college. 202 00:09:07,667 --> 00:09:10,083 "You're not gonna be what you wanna be." 203 00:09:11,250 --> 00:09:13,167 My name is Joshua Perez, 204 00:09:13,250 --> 00:09:15,042 born and raised in the South Bronx my whole life. 205 00:09:15,125 --> 00:09:16,667 Growing up in a one-parent household. 206 00:09:16,751 --> 00:09:17,542 My dad left in the fifth grade. 207 00:09:20,209 --> 00:09:21,626 Didn't do a lot of things in my life, 208 00:09:21,709 --> 00:09:24,042 but it hasn't stopped me from getting to that one goal 209 00:09:24,125 --> 00:09:25,626 in life to make it and going to college. 210 00:09:25,709 --> 00:09:28,209 - [Mother] You're ready for baseball today, right? 211 00:09:28,292 --> 00:09:30,167 You know you got a long day. 212 00:09:30,250 --> 00:09:31,459 Where's the game at? - It's all the same areas. 213 00:09:31,542 --> 00:09:33,584 I still remember the day in sixth grade. 214 00:09:33,667 --> 00:09:36,626 My mom is like, "I'm gonna put you in a all boys' school." 215 00:09:36,709 --> 00:09:37,459 And then she would always tell me, 216 00:09:37,542 --> 00:09:40,250 "You're not gonna understand it, why now, 217 00:09:40,334 --> 00:09:41,542 "but trust me, when you get to that step, 218 00:09:41,626 --> 00:09:43,292 "when you're about to graduate, 219 00:09:43,375 --> 00:09:44,834 "you're gonna understand why." 220 00:09:44,918 --> 00:09:46,125 I thank her so much. 221 00:09:47,250 --> 00:09:49,209 - [Mother] You sure you wanna go to Nazareth Still? 222 00:09:50,500 --> 00:09:52,375 It's six hours away, you wasn't scared? 223 00:09:52,459 --> 00:09:53,375 - No. 224 00:09:54,250 --> 00:09:55,334 It's something I wanna do. 225 00:09:55,417 --> 00:09:56,500 If you wanna be a brain surgeon, 226 00:09:56,584 --> 00:09:59,709 you can't be scared of things like that. 227 00:09:59,792 --> 00:10:01,542 (car horns tooting) 228 00:10:01,626 --> 00:10:04,500 Coming to Eagle Academy since the sixth grade 229 00:10:04,584 --> 00:10:07,334 is really a phenomenal opportunity. 230 00:10:07,417 --> 00:10:09,500 Where we all come from, we're not privileged, 231 00:10:09,584 --> 00:10:11,250 we're not gonna have everything. 232 00:10:11,334 --> 00:10:13,042 You're gonna have to put in that extra. 233 00:10:13,125 --> 00:10:15,083 Eventually as you get older, you grow off of it, 234 00:10:15,167 --> 00:10:17,417 and you use it as your motivation. 235 00:10:17,500 --> 00:10:19,292 You wanna get out. 236 00:10:19,375 --> 00:10:20,459 You wanna make a change, especially where you came from. 237 00:10:20,542 --> 00:10:23,375 (door squeaking) 238 00:10:27,417 --> 00:10:31,584 - We have become numb to the fact that our children 239 00:10:31,667 --> 00:10:32,250 are not being educated. 240 00:10:32,334 --> 00:10:34,209 And we feel as though it's just 241 00:10:34,292 --> 00:10:36,459 the course of doing business. 242 00:10:36,542 --> 00:10:38,334 No other ethnic group in the city would have 243 00:10:38,417 --> 00:10:42,334 become accustomed to the lack 244 00:10:42,417 --> 00:10:43,626 of education of their children. 245 00:10:45,542 --> 00:10:46,876 - I'ma try. 246 00:10:46,959 --> 00:10:47,792 I know I can't-- 247 00:10:47,876 --> 00:10:51,751 - The Brownsvilles, our Liberty City in Miami, 248 00:10:51,834 --> 00:10:53,876 south side of Chicago. 249 00:10:53,959 --> 00:10:56,375 You see the same patterns. 250 00:10:56,459 --> 00:10:59,709 The failure of educating people of color. 251 00:10:59,792 --> 00:11:04,500 But the real tragedy and the real betrayal 252 00:11:04,584 --> 00:11:06,626 is not so much how poor they do in school, 253 00:11:08,918 --> 00:11:11,209 but it's the amount of money that is spent. 254 00:11:11,292 --> 00:11:12,751 Particularly here in New York City, 255 00:11:12,834 --> 00:11:17,751 we spend approximately $26 billion a year on education. 256 00:11:18,542 --> 00:11:21,375 The goal in many of the big cities 257 00:11:21,459 --> 00:11:24,334 is not educating children, but protecting 258 00:11:24,417 --> 00:11:27,751 the historical flow of that money. 259 00:11:27,834 --> 00:11:32,500 When a child isn't educated, those outside consultants 260 00:11:32,584 --> 00:11:37,626 and institutions that come in and give the same material 261 00:11:38,500 --> 00:11:39,834 that has proven to be a failure, 262 00:11:39,918 --> 00:11:41,584 they continue to make millions 263 00:11:41,667 --> 00:11:43,542 of dollars over those contracts, 264 00:11:43,626 --> 00:11:46,792 when year after year they are failing, something is wrong. 265 00:11:46,876 --> 00:11:49,876 (bus engine whirring) 266 00:11:53,626 --> 00:11:55,959 - Nazareth College was my number two choice, and I got in, 267 00:11:56,042 --> 00:11:59,626 so I just took the opportunity and I said I'm going for it. 268 00:11:59,709 --> 00:12:02,876 It's hard to say that I'm actually leaving. 269 00:12:02,959 --> 00:12:05,209 Sometimes when I think about it, 270 00:12:05,292 --> 00:12:07,918 I'm actually gonna be in college in a few months. 271 00:12:12,626 --> 00:12:15,417 (lock clicking) 272 00:12:16,667 --> 00:12:18,626 So this is the Eagle Academy's emblem. 273 00:12:18,709 --> 00:12:21,667 It has like the doors showing like opening, 274 00:12:21,751 --> 00:12:22,709 you're being welcomed going in. 275 00:12:22,792 --> 00:12:24,792 And it has a bridge, like a pathway of success. 276 00:12:24,876 --> 00:12:26,792 You're gonna come to the Eagle Academy with open doors 277 00:12:26,876 --> 00:12:30,500 and lead out on this bridge that's gonna give you 278 00:12:30,584 --> 00:12:32,459 better and bigger opportunities 279 00:12:32,542 --> 00:12:33,834 to be able to success in life. 280 00:12:33,918 --> 00:12:35,959 And then of course the eagle right here. 281 00:12:36,042 --> 00:12:36,876 Eagles fly high. 282 00:12:36,959 --> 00:12:38,292 Then the Eagle Academy right in the middle, 283 00:12:38,375 --> 00:12:40,584 just to represent the school. 284 00:12:40,667 --> 00:12:43,834 Yeah, this emblem right here means a lot to me. 285 00:12:43,918 --> 00:12:45,876 - We are living in a global society 286 00:12:45,959 --> 00:12:49,918 that needs these young men to be productive, 287 00:12:50,000 --> 00:12:51,834 to contribute to the tax base. 288 00:12:51,918 --> 00:12:56,417 You cannot in this country have such a significant 289 00:12:56,500 --> 00:12:58,834 part of the population be so thoroughly marginalized 290 00:12:58,918 --> 00:13:02,709 and think that this nation will be able to continue 291 00:13:02,792 --> 00:13:04,792 to compete at the highest level globally. 292 00:13:07,334 --> 00:13:08,918 Most teachers who have gone and been trained 293 00:13:09,000 --> 00:13:11,250 in schools of education across the country 294 00:13:11,334 --> 00:13:13,292 haven't received one day of training 295 00:13:13,375 --> 00:13:15,542 in what it means to work with young men in the classroom. 296 00:13:15,626 --> 00:13:18,876 - Remember, shirts that are not tucked in, 297 00:13:18,959 --> 00:13:20,876 you get a one point deduction. 298 00:13:20,959 --> 00:13:23,375 - [David] What your voice should sound like, 299 00:13:23,459 --> 00:13:26,417 what the lighting should be in the room. 300 00:13:26,500 --> 00:13:27,876 - And we say. 301 00:13:27,959 --> 00:13:30,334 (students speaking foreign language) 302 00:13:30,417 --> 00:13:32,250 (students clapping) 303 00:13:32,334 --> 00:13:33,709 - And then there's the rituals, traditions, the ceremonies, 304 00:13:33,792 --> 00:13:36,751 that's about building your sense of self-worth, 305 00:13:36,834 --> 00:13:39,459 and your confidence, and your ability, 306 00:13:39,542 --> 00:13:40,876 and your belief in yourself. 307 00:13:40,959 --> 00:13:42,584 And we know those things are important. 308 00:13:42,667 --> 00:13:44,959 They're important in gangs. 309 00:13:45,042 --> 00:13:46,959 Every gang has their own colors, 310 00:13:47,042 --> 00:13:48,626 and they have their own pecking order, 311 00:13:48,709 --> 00:13:51,292 and they have their own traditions and symbols. 312 00:13:51,375 --> 00:13:54,334 And boys are drawn to those when they don't have 313 00:13:54,417 --> 00:13:57,417 the benefit of a more positive paradigm 314 00:13:57,500 --> 00:13:57,959 for them to be engaged in. 315 00:13:59,876 --> 00:14:01,584 We've said, "This is our gang, 316 00:14:01,667 --> 00:14:02,918 "and we're gonna make sure that you're part 317 00:14:03,000 --> 00:14:03,792 "of something that's positive and leading 318 00:14:03,876 --> 00:14:07,417 "toward a positive and promising future." 319 00:14:12,667 --> 00:14:14,542 (car door slamming) 320 00:14:14,626 --> 00:14:16,500 Listen, we always need more teachers 321 00:14:16,584 --> 00:14:18,792 and support staff to do this work. 322 00:14:18,876 --> 00:14:22,375 You go to South Korea, you have to graduate 323 00:14:22,459 --> 00:14:24,000 in the top 1/3 of your class to become a teacher. 324 00:14:26,667 --> 00:14:28,584 Teachers there are referred to as nation builders, 325 00:14:28,667 --> 00:14:31,542 because that's really what it takes. 326 00:14:31,626 --> 00:14:33,876 You need great teachers in the classroom. 327 00:14:33,959 --> 00:14:35,876 You have smart people, 328 00:14:36,000 --> 00:14:38,292 particularly smart people who have some other experiences 329 00:14:38,375 --> 00:14:41,459 that they can draw on to bring into the classroom. 330 00:14:43,000 --> 00:14:45,083 You're kidding me, that's the winning combination. 331 00:14:45,167 --> 00:14:48,459 (school bell ringing) 332 00:14:49,542 --> 00:14:52,792 - I've been at Eagle Academy for going on 11 years. 333 00:14:52,876 --> 00:14:53,626 One of the challenges being 334 00:14:53,709 --> 00:14:57,292 in a city public school is resources. 335 00:14:57,375 --> 00:14:58,959 It's money. 336 00:14:59,042 --> 00:15:01,751 So for an educator to see 75 students in a day, 337 00:15:01,834 --> 00:15:06,375 really it kind of stresses how deep you can go. 338 00:15:06,459 --> 00:15:07,584 So oftentimes when I'm sitting with teachers 339 00:15:07,667 --> 00:15:10,375 who come from private schools, 340 00:15:10,459 --> 00:15:11,876 and they're like, "Oh, I have to grade 20 papers." 341 00:15:11,959 --> 00:15:14,334 I go, "I have to grade 75." 342 00:15:14,417 --> 00:15:15,918 Oh my goodness. Tell them how you know me. 343 00:15:16,000 --> 00:15:19,000 - [Student] You were my first teacher in Eagle Academy. 344 00:15:19,083 --> 00:15:22,125 - He's the very first sixth grade class 345 00:15:22,209 --> 00:15:23,834 who are now graduating. 346 00:15:23,918 --> 00:15:27,083 These are the babies, these are the babies. 347 00:15:28,667 --> 00:15:29,125 Oh, full ride? 348 00:15:29,209 --> 00:15:31,667 - Yeah. 349 00:15:31,751 --> 00:15:33,042 Even now, when I tell people, especially you. 350 00:15:38,751 --> 00:15:39,876 - [Crew] What was Josh like as a student? 351 00:15:39,959 --> 00:15:42,000 - Smart, brilliant. 352 00:15:42,083 --> 00:15:43,834 There was no doubt in my mind this class 353 00:15:43,918 --> 00:15:46,667 was going to be the class, and they are. 354 00:15:46,751 --> 00:15:48,292 They absolutely are. 355 00:15:48,375 --> 00:15:49,751 They absolutely are. 356 00:15:49,834 --> 00:15:51,751 And they have faults, and they have growth, 357 00:15:51,834 --> 00:15:55,500 which all our children do, but to hear that. 358 00:15:56,584 --> 00:15:57,500 - Dream come true. 359 00:15:57,584 --> 00:15:58,709 (Lakia sighing) 360 00:15:58,792 --> 00:16:00,542 - That's a Lotto ticket. 361 00:16:00,626 --> 00:16:03,751 No bills after you graduate. 362 00:16:03,834 --> 00:16:04,000 - Nothing. - Nothing. 363 00:16:06,834 --> 00:16:10,042 Being in the classroom for 15 years taught me so much 364 00:16:10,125 --> 00:16:13,042 about who our young man are and what they need. 365 00:16:13,125 --> 00:16:16,876 And the biggest lesson for me is about relational learning, 366 00:16:16,959 --> 00:16:21,000 that our boys succeed and thrive in communities and villages 367 00:16:23,709 --> 00:16:25,042 where they are building healthy, strong relationships 368 00:16:25,125 --> 00:16:29,042 with the educators, with support staff. 369 00:16:29,125 --> 00:16:31,709 Anyone who's in the building that touches them 370 00:16:31,792 --> 00:16:34,542 needs to understand how to build, maintain, 371 00:16:34,626 --> 00:16:36,751 and restore relationships with our children. 372 00:16:39,167 --> 00:16:43,000 - There's a mission here that not only attracted me, 373 00:16:43,083 --> 00:16:44,709 but attracted, I think, 374 00:16:44,792 --> 00:16:45,918 every single person that's in the building. 375 00:16:46,000 --> 00:16:48,334 There's something about being unapologetic, 376 00:16:48,417 --> 00:16:53,500 about supporting the social-emotional and academic growth 377 00:16:53,584 --> 00:16:58,626 of boys of color that I think is not present in every place, 378 00:16:59,626 --> 00:17:00,959 in every school building. 379 00:17:01,042 --> 00:17:04,083 And so for me, that was the best part. 380 00:17:04,167 --> 00:17:05,125 That was the work. 381 00:17:05,209 --> 00:17:08,626 I knew that the work was gonna be really difficult, 382 00:17:08,709 --> 00:17:10,876 or have the potential to be really difficult, 383 00:17:10,959 --> 00:17:13,751 but I wanted more than anything to just be unapologetic 384 00:17:13,834 --> 00:17:16,167 about the work that I do for kids. 385 00:17:16,250 --> 00:17:18,626 I think one of the challenges 386 00:17:18,709 --> 00:17:23,792 is when my six foot seventh grader leaves, all right? 387 00:17:25,000 --> 00:17:25,626 Because when someone sees him on the street, 388 00:17:25,709 --> 00:17:28,000 they don't see that they're 12. 389 00:17:28,083 --> 00:17:29,042 That can be nerve wracking, 390 00:17:29,125 --> 00:17:31,584 because there's archetypes that people have built 391 00:17:31,667 --> 00:17:34,751 around boys in particular, right? 392 00:17:34,834 --> 00:17:36,083 Sometimes we don't acknowledge that. 393 00:17:38,792 --> 00:17:43,667 The child needs to have that ability to be upset and to cry. 394 00:17:44,959 --> 00:17:47,334 We tell boys all the time, "Don't cry. 395 00:17:47,417 --> 00:17:49,667 "Man up." 396 00:17:49,751 --> 00:17:51,000 What, no. 397 00:17:51,083 --> 00:17:51,918 He's 12. 398 00:17:52,000 --> 00:17:54,083 (chattering) 399 00:17:54,167 --> 00:17:56,125 - 68% of black boys today growing up 400 00:17:56,209 --> 00:17:57,292 without a father at home. 401 00:17:57,375 --> 00:18:00,876 We try to stand in the gap, and all too often society, 402 00:18:00,959 --> 00:18:03,876 when our boys get it wrong, blames them. 403 00:18:03,959 --> 00:18:06,334 And they've not had any real, true role models. 404 00:18:06,417 --> 00:18:09,125 Healthy, strong, good men 405 00:18:09,209 --> 00:18:11,834 to help them understand how a good man is supposed to walk, 406 00:18:11,918 --> 00:18:13,834 and talk, and conduct themself. 407 00:18:14,751 --> 00:18:15,375 That's what we try and do. 408 00:18:15,459 --> 00:18:18,125 (gentle music) 409 00:18:20,667 --> 00:18:22,083 - So my name is Christopher Davis. 410 00:18:22,167 --> 00:18:25,626 I'm in the first graduating class 411 00:18:25,709 --> 00:18:28,292 of Eagle Academy for Young Man, 2008. 412 00:18:28,375 --> 00:18:29,626 I'm here now and giving back, 413 00:18:29,709 --> 00:18:32,125 speaking to young men of color. 414 00:18:32,209 --> 00:18:34,500 Speaking about my equal experience. 415 00:18:34,584 --> 00:18:39,000 Speaking to educators about what it takes to work here, 416 00:18:39,083 --> 00:18:40,959 because I think that's important too, 417 00:18:41,042 --> 00:18:44,042 to understand the mentality of a Eagle student. 418 00:18:44,125 --> 00:18:44,959 I grew up in NYCHA housing. 419 00:18:45,042 --> 00:18:47,834 I think that's important to have someone 420 00:18:47,918 --> 00:18:52,083 who experience the same things that you experience, 421 00:18:52,167 --> 00:18:53,209 and not just with school. 422 00:18:53,292 --> 00:18:55,209 - In life. 423 00:18:55,292 --> 00:18:57,250 - In life, the financial background, the financial burden. 424 00:18:57,334 --> 00:19:00,834 - Growing up, my dad, he was there. 425 00:19:00,918 --> 00:19:02,250 Not all the time unfortunately 426 00:19:02,334 --> 00:19:04,959 things happened between mom and dad. 427 00:19:06,792 --> 00:19:08,125 - Ivan, I'm on my way out. 428 00:19:10,167 --> 00:19:13,834 - I had a few challenges. 429 00:19:13,918 --> 00:19:16,209 It was my 12th grade year, I lost a loved one, 430 00:19:16,292 --> 00:19:19,125 and just to even come to school to be here 431 00:19:20,250 --> 00:19:25,209 eight hours a day, and for the people like Mr. Banks. 432 00:19:25,292 --> 00:19:27,751 School was there for me, he was there for me. 433 00:19:27,834 --> 00:19:32,876 And to make it to Columbia University and to graduate. 434 00:19:34,167 --> 00:19:36,709 I'm the product, as well as my brothers. 435 00:19:39,042 --> 00:19:41,125 - America has been sliding for years 436 00:19:41,209 --> 00:19:46,918 in terms of our standing academically. 437 00:19:47,000 --> 00:19:50,709 I talked about this idea of how you make sure 438 00:19:50,792 --> 00:19:53,918 that young men aspire to go to college. 439 00:19:54,000 --> 00:19:56,334 Hard to do it if you've never been to one. 440 00:19:56,417 --> 00:19:57,959 Bringing in college reps from schools, 441 00:19:58,042 --> 00:20:01,083 making sure we're bringing our alumni back 442 00:20:01,167 --> 00:20:02,167 so that they can tell the stories. 443 00:20:02,250 --> 00:20:04,959 And just how fun and exciting it could be 444 00:20:05,042 --> 00:20:06,876 to be on a college campus. 445 00:20:06,959 --> 00:20:09,000 All of those things make a huge difference. 446 00:20:11,209 --> 00:20:14,792 - So my role as director of college counseling 447 00:20:14,876 --> 00:20:16,334 for Eagle Academy is to work with the students, 448 00:20:16,417 --> 00:20:20,918 so that they understand the entire college-going process. 449 00:20:21,000 --> 00:20:24,375 Because they may love a school, but if they can't afford it, 450 00:20:24,459 --> 00:20:26,292 or if it doesn't make sense in terms 451 00:20:26,375 --> 00:20:28,918 of how much a school costs and the amount 452 00:20:29,000 --> 00:20:30,834 of loans you have to take and the so forth, 453 00:20:30,918 --> 00:20:32,792 it can be a problem. 454 00:20:32,876 --> 00:20:35,417 We set it up so that they have options across the board. 455 00:20:38,834 --> 00:20:42,083 Look here, so these are just the emblems 456 00:20:42,167 --> 00:20:43,792 of the mascots of the various schools, 457 00:20:43,876 --> 00:20:46,167 who some of them I visited. 458 00:20:46,250 --> 00:20:47,959 When I first designed this room, 459 00:20:48,042 --> 00:20:51,334 students didn't hear any of the schools 460 00:20:51,417 --> 00:20:52,542 with the exception of the big names. 461 00:20:52,626 --> 00:20:56,000 But this wall here is where my students from last year, 462 00:20:56,083 --> 00:20:59,167 we had students at each of those schools. 463 00:21:00,584 --> 00:21:02,751 Oh, what about LIU? 464 00:21:02,834 --> 00:21:04,167 Didn't you do LIU? 465 00:21:04,250 --> 00:21:05,959 Brooklyn? - [Student] Brooklyn, yeah. 466 00:21:06,042 --> 00:21:07,834 - Last year, for this particular school, 467 00:21:07,918 --> 00:21:09,334 was our first graduating class. 468 00:21:09,417 --> 00:21:12,834 We had about 93% of our students, 469 00:21:12,918 --> 00:21:14,959 our young men went to college. 470 00:21:15,042 --> 00:21:19,250 About 98% were accepted to some college, 471 00:21:21,167 --> 00:21:22,334 be it two year, four year. 472 00:21:22,417 --> 00:21:25,125 I really wanna instill in them 473 00:21:25,209 --> 00:21:27,375 that this is who you really are, 474 00:21:27,459 --> 00:21:29,250 and this is who you really can be 475 00:21:29,334 --> 00:21:30,959 as you move forward in life. 476 00:21:36,334 --> 00:21:39,000 - Looking at this picture, I remember, 477 00:21:39,083 --> 00:21:40,751 I believe this was convocation in sixth grade. 478 00:21:40,834 --> 00:21:43,375 I'm here, I have no face hair, look at me. 479 00:21:43,459 --> 00:21:47,876 It's on a lot of business cards, it's on the books. 480 00:21:47,959 --> 00:21:50,459 It shows Eagle Academy. 481 00:21:50,542 --> 00:21:51,584 Everybody here in this picture 482 00:21:51,667 --> 00:21:55,042 I'm still very close with today, we talk on a daily basis. 483 00:21:55,125 --> 00:21:57,042 Right here we have Kenley McKennis, 484 00:21:57,125 --> 00:22:00,000 plays on the basketball team. 485 00:22:00,083 --> 00:22:02,876 Jayden Wood, and we have Rashid. 486 00:22:02,959 --> 00:22:04,876 We're all gonna graduate this year. 487 00:22:04,959 --> 00:22:07,375 (alarm beeping) 488 00:22:07,459 --> 00:22:12,459 - Oh, Joshua when he was a baby, he was very hyper-active, 489 00:22:15,500 --> 00:22:16,334 but a fun kid. 490 00:22:18,375 --> 00:22:20,042 Fun kid, he was very fun. 491 00:22:20,125 --> 00:22:22,083 I miss those moments. 492 00:22:22,167 --> 00:22:25,125 I wish I could rewind sometimes. 493 00:22:26,876 --> 00:22:29,125 My son has been at the Eagle Academy since sixth grade. 494 00:22:29,209 --> 00:22:31,959 Soon he'll be going away to college. 495 00:22:32,042 --> 00:22:34,375 It's gonna be tough for me. 496 00:22:34,459 --> 00:22:35,959 Six hours away? 497 00:22:36,042 --> 00:22:37,417 That's my only child. 498 00:22:37,500 --> 00:22:42,334 As much as I can, I will make it over there. 499 00:22:43,250 --> 00:22:44,292 Pop up visits. 500 00:22:44,375 --> 00:22:46,083 - It's like a dream come true. 501 00:22:46,167 --> 00:22:47,417 I always told you when I was in the third grade, 502 00:22:47,500 --> 00:22:48,584 fourth grade, when I go to college, 503 00:22:48,667 --> 00:22:49,459 we're not paying for nothing. 504 00:22:49,542 --> 00:22:51,250 I always told you that when I was young, 505 00:22:51,334 --> 00:22:52,751 so guess what happened now? 506 00:22:52,834 --> 00:22:53,250 It's reality. 507 00:22:53,334 --> 00:22:55,417 - Your dream came true. 508 00:22:55,500 --> 00:22:56,500 - The most thing that I'm proud of is being able 509 00:22:56,584 --> 00:23:01,334 to see him graduate high school, and get his diploma, 510 00:23:01,417 --> 00:23:03,959 and move on, and become what he always 511 00:23:04,042 --> 00:23:07,125 wanted to become as a kid. 512 00:23:07,209 --> 00:23:08,417 - [Crew] And why is that so important to you? 513 00:23:10,375 --> 00:23:11,542 - Because I didn't do it. 514 00:23:13,209 --> 00:23:15,959 I wasn't able to finish school. 515 00:23:17,876 --> 00:23:18,542 Excuse me. 516 00:23:27,459 --> 00:23:31,209 I didn't have the support of my parents 517 00:23:31,292 --> 00:23:32,500 as much as I am involved with him. 518 00:23:35,000 --> 00:23:38,375 And I'm glad that he's gonna finish. 519 00:23:40,584 --> 00:23:41,334 - When you are dealing with the weight of life, 520 00:23:41,417 --> 00:23:44,959 it is really difficult to navigate 521 00:23:45,042 --> 00:23:47,250 the complexities of the Department of Education 522 00:23:47,334 --> 00:23:50,000 or City Services to give your child holistically 523 00:23:50,083 --> 00:23:52,667 what he or she really need. 524 00:23:52,751 --> 00:23:53,959 - Joshua Perez. 525 00:23:55,292 --> 00:23:56,584 How you doing, kid? 526 00:23:56,667 --> 00:23:57,459 - In the affluent areas of our community, 527 00:24:00,250 --> 00:24:04,334 the moms and dads, they already know what college 528 00:24:05,250 --> 00:24:06,876 their child is going to attend. 529 00:24:06,959 --> 00:24:08,375 They know the level of math that he would need 530 00:24:08,459 --> 00:24:11,334 so that he'll be able to get into a nice, 531 00:24:11,417 --> 00:24:13,417 Ivy League school. 532 00:24:13,500 --> 00:24:15,334 It's already mapped out. 533 00:24:15,417 --> 00:24:18,500 Our children get to the end of the journey and say, 534 00:24:18,584 --> 00:24:21,209 "You're supposed to have that pre-algebra 535 00:24:21,292 --> 00:24:24,000 "back when you were in elementary school." 536 00:24:24,083 --> 00:24:27,167 So we are starting off with a lack of information, 537 00:24:27,250 --> 00:24:31,042 and we have to create a easy free flow of information 538 00:24:31,125 --> 00:24:33,584 to empower parents on how to be parents. 539 00:24:37,042 --> 00:24:38,876 - [Teacher] One, two, three, four. 540 00:24:38,959 --> 00:24:40,667 (upbeat music) 541 00:24:50,459 --> 00:24:52,542 - So good morning, my name is David Banks, 542 00:24:52,626 --> 00:24:55,000 and I am the president and CEO 543 00:24:55,083 --> 00:24:57,375 of the Eagle Academy Foundation, good morning. 544 00:24:57,459 --> 00:24:59,125 - [Audience] Good morning. 545 00:24:59,209 --> 00:25:01,000 - So we're here today in Brooklyn because this is 546 00:25:01,083 --> 00:25:03,209 the kickoff event for what we call the Brooklyn Nine. 547 00:25:03,292 --> 00:25:06,083 We have selected nine schools 548 00:25:06,167 --> 00:25:07,584 throughout the borough of Brooklyn 549 00:25:07,667 --> 00:25:10,209 that we are gonna be working with over the next three years 550 00:25:10,292 --> 00:25:12,083 to really share with them the best practices 551 00:25:12,167 --> 00:25:14,584 for how to work with our boys. 552 00:25:14,667 --> 00:25:16,626 It's the kick off for something brand new, 553 00:25:16,709 --> 00:25:18,542 to see if we can take the Eagle model 554 00:25:18,626 --> 00:25:21,667 and then translate that into existing schools 555 00:25:21,751 --> 00:25:24,000 that are not all boys' schools. 556 00:25:24,083 --> 00:25:25,876 And I'm betting that is gonna work. 557 00:25:25,959 --> 00:25:28,167 (upbeat music) 558 00:25:28,250 --> 00:25:33,292 So many things that we need you to see and understand today, 559 00:25:34,709 --> 00:25:35,292 but I think it's important that you understand 560 00:25:35,375 --> 00:25:38,250 who we are as the Eagle Academy, 561 00:25:38,334 --> 00:25:41,083 and what that means for the young men 562 00:25:41,167 --> 00:25:44,709 who we're gonna be working with throughout this program. 563 00:25:45,292 --> 00:25:47,417 Let me make it very plain. 564 00:25:47,500 --> 00:25:53,292 Black and Latino males throughout America, 565 00:25:53,375 --> 00:25:56,500 they're under assault through the media, 566 00:25:56,584 --> 00:26:00,500 they're under assault from politicians who talk a good game, 567 00:26:00,584 --> 00:26:04,709 but don't do anything to actually make a difference, 568 00:26:04,792 --> 00:26:07,125 and it shouldn't have to be that way. 569 00:26:07,209 --> 00:26:09,626 So my organization decided 570 00:26:09,709 --> 00:26:12,250 we were gonna do something about that. 571 00:26:12,334 --> 00:26:15,292 There's a transformation process that must take place 572 00:26:15,375 --> 00:26:19,709 if we want them to properly transition 573 00:26:19,792 --> 00:26:21,167 into healthy, strong young men. 574 00:26:21,250 --> 00:26:25,500 And that process begins today. 575 00:26:25,584 --> 00:26:28,292 (gentle music) 576 00:26:29,834 --> 00:26:33,250 We're gonna be working with the teachers 577 00:26:33,334 --> 00:26:36,667 in nine schools across Brooklyn 578 00:26:36,751 --> 00:26:39,459 to make a significant impact in the lives 579 00:26:39,542 --> 00:26:42,792 of our young men and our boys every day. 580 00:26:42,876 --> 00:26:44,417 (audience applauding) 581 00:26:44,500 --> 00:26:48,792 - The Brooklyn Nine was a great concept, 582 00:26:48,876 --> 00:26:50,334 but whenever you're attempting 583 00:26:50,417 --> 00:26:53,709 to see how well your product is, 584 00:26:53,792 --> 00:26:56,375 you should go to the toughest audience. 585 00:26:56,459 --> 00:27:01,500 Brownsville is the ground zero of education failure 586 00:27:02,417 --> 00:27:03,751 and educational betrayal. 587 00:27:03,834 --> 00:27:08,417 And if we could find success in Brownsville, 588 00:27:08,500 --> 00:27:12,751 then the product could operate anywhere in the entire city. 589 00:27:12,834 --> 00:27:15,417 - The young men of Eagle Academy, please stand. 590 00:27:17,167 --> 00:27:18,792 These are the young men who are gonna be the mentors 591 00:27:19,959 --> 00:27:21,542 for the middle school boys. 592 00:27:21,626 --> 00:27:22,542 They know how to stand strong. 593 00:27:22,626 --> 00:27:24,209 They will give you a firm handshake 594 00:27:24,292 --> 00:27:26,417 and look you in your eye. 595 00:27:26,500 --> 00:27:29,209 And we're gonna make sure that we transfer 596 00:27:29,292 --> 00:27:31,000 all of that to your son. 597 00:27:31,083 --> 00:27:31,876 (man yelling) 598 00:27:31,959 --> 00:27:33,751 - I'm happy, is y'all happy to be here? 599 00:27:33,834 --> 00:27:35,375 - [Students] Yeah! 600 00:27:35,459 --> 00:27:36,209 - I'm happy, is y'all happy to be here? 601 00:27:36,292 --> 00:27:37,209 - [Students] Yeah! 602 00:27:37,292 --> 00:27:38,667 - Hey listen! 603 00:27:38,751 --> 00:27:39,542 - 25 young men in each of these young schools, 604 00:27:39,626 --> 00:27:41,250 and they're gonna be mentored primarily 605 00:27:41,334 --> 00:27:43,792 by older Eagle students. 606 00:27:43,876 --> 00:27:46,751 Either students who are seniors or are alum 607 00:27:46,834 --> 00:27:47,667 who graduated and are in college, 608 00:27:47,751 --> 00:27:50,375 who are just a few years older than them 609 00:27:50,459 --> 00:27:51,792 but have lived the Eagle experience. 610 00:27:51,876 --> 00:27:53,918 - These are young men that were quiet in there. 611 00:27:54,000 --> 00:27:55,918 Quiet, right? 612 00:27:56,000 --> 00:27:57,042 Slouched down, right? 613 00:27:57,125 --> 00:28:00,500 But now you'll notice that their body language will change. 614 00:28:00,584 --> 00:28:02,417 You'll notice that they'll become more talkative. 615 00:28:02,500 --> 00:28:04,417 The confidence will start to come. 616 00:28:04,500 --> 00:28:06,792 And when they come back into the auditorium, 617 00:28:06,876 --> 00:28:08,751 you're gonna see something very, very powerful. 618 00:28:08,834 --> 00:28:11,584 - I know elected officials all over New York City, 619 00:28:11,667 --> 00:28:15,125 and they all would say to me, "This is great, 620 00:28:15,209 --> 00:28:17,751 "you're doing great work, keep up the good work." 621 00:28:17,834 --> 00:28:19,751 Borough President Adams was the only elected official 622 00:28:19,834 --> 00:28:24,834 who said, "This work should be spread across New York, 623 00:28:27,626 --> 00:28:29,375 "and I'm going to the mayor to make sure that that happens." 624 00:28:29,459 --> 00:28:32,709 Please give him a really, really warm welcome, 625 00:28:32,792 --> 00:28:33,751 brother Eric Adams. 626 00:28:33,834 --> 00:28:35,667 (audience applauding) 627 00:28:35,751 --> 00:28:38,459 - When I sat down with David and said, 628 00:28:38,542 --> 00:28:42,667 "How do I duplicate the Eagle Academy experience?" 629 00:28:42,751 --> 00:28:45,167 He made it clear, "We need money, Eric. 630 00:28:45,250 --> 00:28:50,209 "We need money to train teachers, to train our team." 631 00:28:50,292 --> 00:28:52,626 We were able to identify $3 million for him 632 00:28:52,709 --> 00:28:55,792 and start the program of educating 633 00:28:55,876 --> 00:29:00,125 a team outside his team to give other students 634 00:29:00,209 --> 00:29:03,292 the Eagle Academy experience without having to sit in 635 00:29:03,375 --> 00:29:05,792 an Eagle Academy school. 636 00:29:05,876 --> 00:29:09,375 - I guarantee you you will see the difference 637 00:29:09,459 --> 00:29:11,584 between your son today and what will happen 638 00:29:11,667 --> 00:29:14,667 over the next three years, if you make sure 639 00:29:14,751 --> 00:29:17,584 that you support us in doing that. 640 00:29:17,667 --> 00:29:20,292 - In this poem, Invictus, 641 00:29:20,375 --> 00:29:21,459 "I am the master of my fate, the captain of my soul," 642 00:29:21,542 --> 00:29:24,584 the most powerful lines of the poem. 643 00:29:24,667 --> 00:29:25,500 We want young men to understand, look, 644 00:29:25,584 --> 00:29:28,375 no matter how many teachers said, 645 00:29:28,459 --> 00:29:31,500 "You can't learn, you can't do this, you can't do that." 646 00:29:31,584 --> 00:29:34,417 You are the master of your fate, captain of your soul. 647 00:29:34,500 --> 00:29:37,751 It's a great, great start to a great program, gentlemen! 648 00:29:37,834 --> 00:29:38,751 We'll see you shortly. 649 00:29:40,709 --> 00:29:43,542 (drumming music) 650 00:29:49,834 --> 00:29:51,125 - Eagle mentors! 651 00:29:51,209 --> 00:29:53,167 Form the formation! 652 00:29:53,250 --> 00:29:54,626 Invictus straight! 653 00:29:54,709 --> 00:29:56,375 - [Students] Out of the night that covers me, 654 00:29:56,459 --> 00:29:57,709 black as the pit from pole to pole, 655 00:29:57,792 --> 00:29:59,375 I thank whatever gods may be 656 00:29:59,459 --> 00:30:01,000 for my unconquerable soul. 657 00:30:01,083 --> 00:30:02,000 - Brothers, are we ready? 658 00:30:02,083 --> 00:30:02,584 - [Students] Born ready! 659 00:30:02,667 --> 00:30:04,209 - Brothers, are we ready? 660 00:30:04,292 --> 00:30:05,709 - [Students] Born ready! 661 00:30:05,792 --> 00:30:06,834 - [Teacher] Minute by minute, hour by hour. 662 00:30:06,918 --> 00:30:11,834 - [Students] As we grow our story, we grow our power. 663 00:30:11,918 --> 00:30:14,834 - So give yourselves a round of applause, young brothers. 664 00:30:14,918 --> 00:30:16,709 Let's give your mentors a round of applause. 665 00:30:16,792 --> 00:30:19,417 Let's give your parents a round of applause. 666 00:30:19,500 --> 00:30:20,667 (students applauding) 667 00:30:20,751 --> 00:30:24,042 And we are embarking on this journey together. 668 00:30:24,125 --> 00:30:26,375 (tense music) 669 00:30:26,459 --> 00:30:28,375 (school bell ringing) 670 00:30:28,459 --> 00:30:29,876 (students laughing) 671 00:30:29,959 --> 00:30:32,959 (basketball thudding) - Just get it out of the way. 672 00:30:33,042 --> 00:30:33,876 Are you ready? 673 00:30:33,959 --> 00:30:38,042 Hey! 674 00:30:38,042 --> 00:30:39,417 - You grabbed my arm and pull it down! 675 00:30:39,500 --> 00:30:43,000 That's a old school move! 676 00:30:43,083 --> 00:30:43,250 - Hold on. 677 00:30:43,334 --> 00:30:44,751 Yeah! 678 00:30:44,834 --> 00:30:47,000 - Finds, and shall find, me unafraid. 679 00:30:47,083 --> 00:30:47,834 It matters not how strait the gate, 680 00:30:47,918 --> 00:30:50,500 how charged with punishments the scroll, 681 00:30:50,584 --> 00:30:51,584 I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul. 682 00:30:51,667 --> 00:30:52,834 I am the master of my fate, 683 00:30:52,918 --> 00:30:54,918 I am the captain of my soul. 684 00:30:55,000 --> 00:30:55,876 - Yeah, that ending is just like. 685 00:30:55,959 --> 00:30:57,626 It motivates me, I can't wait for my graduation. 686 00:30:57,709 --> 00:30:59,584 I wanna see that same thing you saw. 687 00:30:59,667 --> 00:31:03,417 I've been in Eagle Academy from sixth grade 688 00:31:03,500 --> 00:31:04,792 all the way to the 12th grade. 689 00:31:04,876 --> 00:31:06,584 And this is the first graduating class 690 00:31:06,667 --> 00:31:08,751 to ever come through these seven years, man. 691 00:31:08,834 --> 00:31:11,751 - We are in a special place right now. 692 00:31:11,834 --> 00:31:15,834 We have a opportunity to really impact a whole generation. 693 00:31:17,834 --> 00:31:19,751 I'm proud to be a Eagle alumni, 694 00:31:19,834 --> 00:31:21,083 and I'm proud to be a member, a brother of Eagle Academy. 695 00:31:23,250 --> 00:31:25,792 (chattering) 696 00:31:25,876 --> 00:31:28,834 - Just because I'm a person of color, 697 00:31:28,918 --> 00:31:30,959 just walking through the street, or I'm on the train, 698 00:31:31,042 --> 00:31:34,959 or I have a hood on, that's already an assumption. 699 00:31:35,042 --> 00:31:36,792 I wanna go on a path where I can go to college 700 00:31:36,876 --> 00:31:37,083 and to see from there. 701 00:31:39,709 --> 00:31:41,876 One day when I'm older, and I'm where I'm at, 702 00:31:41,959 --> 00:31:43,000 that's gonna be my motivation. 703 00:31:43,083 --> 00:31:45,834 Those things that were said to me when I was younger, 704 00:31:45,918 --> 00:31:47,626 those assumptions that were made, 705 00:31:47,709 --> 00:31:49,959 all those videos that I saw, all those comments. 706 00:31:50,042 --> 00:31:51,459 I'll let that be my motivation. 707 00:31:51,542 --> 00:31:53,375 I was like, okay. 708 00:31:53,459 --> 00:31:54,417 Just in my head, I'm like, "Okay, one day you'll see." 709 00:31:54,500 --> 00:31:56,000 I don't have to say anything, 710 00:31:56,083 --> 00:31:57,042 I'm just gonna let my actions speak. 711 00:32:02,417 --> 00:32:03,459 - Ali House! 712 00:32:03,542 --> 00:32:05,125 - [Students] I am the greatest! 713 00:32:05,209 --> 00:32:05,959 - [Teacher] Hughes House! 714 00:32:06,042 --> 00:32:07,876 - [Students] Dreams deferred, never! 715 00:32:07,959 --> 00:32:09,792 - [Teacher] Hughes House! 716 00:32:09,876 --> 00:32:11,667 - The Eagle Academy that has gone from a school in The Bronx 717 00:32:11,751 --> 00:32:13,792 to now in every borough in New York City? 718 00:32:13,876 --> 00:32:17,083 Our work goes beyond our traditional schools 719 00:32:17,167 --> 00:32:18,125 that we have created. 720 00:32:18,209 --> 00:32:20,000 And I'm talking about beyond all boys' schools. 721 00:32:20,083 --> 00:32:24,626 I'm talking about in traditional schools, co-ed schools. 722 00:32:24,709 --> 00:32:27,834 And we think that in helping those teachers, 723 00:32:27,918 --> 00:32:30,918 we will be able to help hundreds of thousands 724 00:32:31,000 --> 00:32:33,751 of young men of color all across the country. 725 00:32:33,834 --> 00:32:35,584 We're gonna teach a man how to fish. 726 00:32:35,667 --> 00:32:37,083 - [Teacher] I'll see you on Monday. 727 00:32:38,584 --> 00:32:39,667 - [Christopher] Josh, hit me up. 728 00:32:39,751 --> 00:32:41,042 All right, bro. - Bro. 729 00:32:41,125 --> 00:32:43,375 - Listen, I'ma see you when you graduate. 730 00:32:43,459 --> 00:32:44,834 I'll be there. 731 00:32:44,918 --> 00:32:46,751 I'ma try to get some front-row seats. 732 00:32:46,834 --> 00:32:50,834 - Our goal must be to ensure that we implement 733 00:32:50,918 --> 00:32:54,042 long, sustaining partnerships. 734 00:32:54,125 --> 00:32:56,834 How do we partner with our faith-based institutions 735 00:32:56,918 --> 00:32:59,042 to be part of our educational experiences? 736 00:32:59,125 --> 00:33:03,709 How do we utilize our civic groups and local groups, 737 00:33:03,792 --> 00:33:06,459 our precinct councils, community boards, 738 00:33:06,542 --> 00:33:08,834 NWACP, urban leagues. 739 00:33:08,918 --> 00:33:13,459 How do we put in place those institutional changes 740 00:33:13,542 --> 00:33:16,375 that no matter what happens in Washington, D.C, 741 00:33:16,459 --> 00:33:19,042 it would not impact Washington Avenue in Brooklyn. 742 00:33:19,125 --> 00:33:22,709 We will be still moving forward with our overall plan 743 00:33:22,792 --> 00:33:24,083 of making sure that every child 744 00:33:24,167 --> 00:33:26,876 receives a quality education. 745 00:33:26,959 --> 00:33:28,751 Thank you. 746 00:33:28,834 --> 00:33:30,792 Listen, let the Dean's Team know we're gonna meet. 747 00:33:30,876 --> 00:33:32,500 In the morning. 748 00:33:32,584 --> 00:33:33,959 Ali Seventh grade, you're dismissed. 749 00:33:35,167 --> 00:33:35,918 - I don't think there's anyone that says like, 750 00:33:36,000 --> 00:33:38,125 "We just don't want good by them." 751 00:33:38,209 --> 00:33:39,918 I think people just are paralyzed, like, 752 00:33:40,000 --> 00:33:41,209 "I don't know what to do." 753 00:33:41,292 --> 00:33:43,751 So we choose to disengage. 754 00:33:43,834 --> 00:33:46,751 And we get to lean into that discomfort as a school 755 00:33:46,834 --> 00:33:48,918 and say, "We're gonna take it on, 756 00:33:49,000 --> 00:33:51,125 "and we're gonna smile while we do it. 757 00:33:51,209 --> 00:33:52,792 "We're gonna grow our guys." 758 00:33:53,918 --> 00:33:56,584 (gentle music) 759 00:33:57,876 --> 00:34:00,375 (car horns hooting) 760 00:34:00,459 --> 00:34:03,000 (sirens wailing) 761 00:34:12,918 --> 00:34:15,042 (students cheering) 762 00:34:18,125 --> 00:34:21,834 - This is the value of a teacher 763 00:34:21,918 --> 00:34:24,792 who looks at a face ad says, "There's something behind 764 00:34:24,876 --> 00:34:27,834 "that I wanna reach that person. 765 00:34:27,918 --> 00:34:32,876 "I wanna influence that person who is behind that face, 766 00:34:34,167 --> 00:34:37,626 "behind that color, behind that language, 767 00:34:37,709 --> 00:34:42,292 "behind that tradition, behind that culture." 768 00:34:42,375 --> 00:34:46,167 (students chattering) 769 00:34:46,250 --> 00:34:47,250 - Yeah! - Yeah! 770 00:34:49,751 --> 00:34:52,876 (students cheering) 771 00:34:54,834 --> 00:34:55,667 - I came into Eagle with these guys, 772 00:34:55,751 --> 00:34:57,959 so they were sixth graders. 773 00:34:58,042 --> 00:35:00,751 They were short, didn't have facial hair. 774 00:35:00,834 --> 00:35:04,626 And now I'm looking out at them, and I'm just like, "Wow." 775 00:35:04,709 --> 00:35:07,667 It means that eventually seeds prosper and they grow, 776 00:35:07,751 --> 00:35:10,209 and they turn into something 777 00:35:10,292 --> 00:35:13,334 that you see down there, and I'm glad. 778 00:35:13,417 --> 00:35:15,167 So I'm excited. 779 00:35:15,250 --> 00:35:16,334 I'm excited to see the program, 780 00:35:16,417 --> 00:35:18,584 and be here just to watch. 781 00:35:18,667 --> 00:35:20,042 - [Students] Out of the night that covers me 782 00:35:20,125 --> 00:35:21,751 black as the pit from pole to pole, 783 00:35:21,834 --> 00:35:23,209 I thank whatever gods may be. 784 00:35:23,292 --> 00:35:26,667 - Class of 2018, you can be seated. 785 00:35:27,584 --> 00:35:30,334 As you leave, remember that you're leaving 786 00:35:30,417 --> 00:35:33,876 understanding that this community is going to support you 787 00:35:33,959 --> 00:35:37,042 even when you do leave those doors. 788 00:35:37,125 --> 00:35:39,209 Your Eagle brothers that are next to you 789 00:35:39,292 --> 00:35:43,250 are gonna be with you every step of the way. 790 00:35:43,334 --> 00:35:44,667 (students yelling) 791 00:35:44,751 --> 00:35:46,083 - [Announcer] Mayan Perez. 792 00:35:46,167 --> 00:35:49,209 (audience cheering) 793 00:35:49,292 --> 00:35:50,709 Tapir Donovan. 794 00:35:50,792 --> 00:35:54,250 (audience cheering) 795 00:35:54,334 --> 00:35:55,083 - To see our young men, 796 00:35:55,167 --> 00:35:57,834 I'm gonna try not to get emotional. 797 00:36:01,417 --> 00:36:04,042 To see our young men that I know, 798 00:36:04,125 --> 00:36:06,042 they're story could have ended another way, 799 00:36:06,125 --> 00:36:10,792 and to see them thriving means the world to me. 800 00:36:10,876 --> 00:36:13,417 We plant seeds, but we don't know that we'll ever 801 00:36:13,500 --> 00:36:14,751 see the fruits of our labor. 802 00:36:14,834 --> 00:36:17,959 (students cheering) 803 00:36:22,417 --> 00:36:23,417 - [Announcer] Joshua Perez. 804 00:36:23,500 --> 00:36:25,042 - [Rosa] Yeah! 805 00:36:25,125 --> 00:36:27,083 Go Josh! 806 00:36:27,167 --> 00:36:29,959 (audience cheering) 807 00:36:30,042 --> 00:36:32,584 - [Announcer] Mark Anthony Barton. 808 00:36:32,667 --> 00:36:34,000 (audience cheering) 809 00:36:34,083 --> 00:36:34,792 - [David] Good afternoon everyone! 810 00:36:34,876 --> 00:36:36,667 Good afternoon Eagle! 811 00:36:36,751 --> 00:36:37,209 - [Students] Good afternoon! 812 00:36:39,375 --> 00:36:42,918 - This world is changing on a daily basis. 813 00:36:43,000 --> 00:36:46,250 You've got to work harder than you could have ever imagined. 814 00:36:47,417 --> 00:36:50,667 But you have the talent, and the gifts, and the abilities 815 00:36:50,751 --> 00:36:53,876 inside of you that you can go off, 816 00:36:53,959 --> 00:36:55,792 and no matter what happens in this world, 817 00:36:55,876 --> 00:36:57,500 you're gonna be one of the game changers. 818 00:36:57,584 --> 00:36:59,292 I believe that. 819 00:37:00,292 --> 00:37:02,250 I don't just say that. 820 00:37:02,334 --> 00:37:03,125 I believe that. 821 00:37:03,209 --> 00:37:06,125 That's the reason why we do this work, 822 00:37:06,209 --> 00:37:08,209 because everywhere I see young men like you, 823 00:37:08,292 --> 00:37:09,209 I see promise, I see potential. 824 00:37:11,459 --> 00:37:13,167 I see young men that if we don't get you 825 00:37:13,250 --> 00:37:14,792 to be where you need to be, this world will never be 826 00:37:14,876 --> 00:37:15,417 where it's supposed to be. 827 00:37:20,042 --> 00:37:22,792 - [Rosa] I'm happy crying, I'm so proud. 828 00:37:22,876 --> 00:37:26,042 - You're gonna make me cry. 829 00:37:27,209 --> 00:37:29,375 - [Rosa] I knew you could do it. 830 00:37:29,459 --> 00:37:30,167 - Who has a camera? 831 00:37:30,250 --> 00:37:32,334 Take your camera out, there you go. 832 00:37:32,417 --> 00:37:33,918 - There we go, here we go, here we go. 833 00:37:34,000 --> 00:37:34,459 Y'all getting in it, right? 834 00:37:36,083 --> 00:37:39,125 We ready, all right, right over here. 835 00:37:39,209 --> 00:37:40,834 One, two, three. 836 00:37:40,918 --> 00:37:43,751 - Education, it is an ocean liner. 837 00:37:43,834 --> 00:37:47,250 We have to slowly turn that ocean liner around 838 00:37:47,334 --> 00:37:49,918 and this is the starting point. 839 00:37:50,000 --> 00:37:53,667 And if we can show that the successes here 840 00:37:53,751 --> 00:37:55,834 were tangible results, 841 00:37:55,918 --> 00:37:58,334 then we could force the city to duplicate it, 842 00:37:58,417 --> 00:38:02,167 to turn it the Brooklyn 90, the Brooklyn 900, 843 00:38:02,250 --> 00:38:05,417 and really the Brooklyn educational system, 844 00:38:05,500 --> 00:38:07,500 and New York City educational system. 845 00:38:07,584 --> 00:38:09,250 (gentle music) 846 00:38:13,417 --> 00:38:16,000 - A phrase that I use often for the young men 847 00:38:16,083 --> 00:38:18,209 that I speak to, is that I tell them 848 00:38:18,292 --> 00:38:20,417 that they are truly unique to the universe. 849 00:38:22,459 --> 00:38:24,792 There are people that have your name, 850 00:38:24,876 --> 00:38:27,542 there are people who look like you, they sound like you, 851 00:38:27,626 --> 00:38:29,042 but they're not you. 852 00:38:29,125 --> 00:38:31,000 They don't have your fingerprint. 853 00:38:32,292 --> 00:38:35,000 So find your destiny, fulfill your destiny, 854 00:38:35,083 --> 00:38:37,792 and you are to manifest the potential 855 00:38:37,876 --> 00:38:39,292 for which you were brought here in the first place. 856 00:38:43,375 --> 00:38:44,334 And I believe that, 857 00:38:44,417 --> 00:38:47,000 and I try to make sure that they understand that, 858 00:38:47,083 --> 00:38:49,250 and they see the uniqueness, the greatness 859 00:38:49,334 --> 00:38:51,209 that they have inside of them 860 00:38:51,292 --> 00:38:52,292 so that they can take that and run, 861 00:38:52,375 --> 00:38:54,500 and go on and be all that they're supposed to be. 862 00:38:54,584 --> 00:38:57,292 (gentle music)