Student success

When Glorie Borsay enrolled in the Academy for Scholastic and Personal Success at the beginning of her sophomore year of high school, she thought it would be nothing more than summer school.

She didn't expect to meet so many new people and develop friendships, to the point where 'everybody became family,” she said.

Kendall Dooley, 17, a junior at Kennedy High School, had heard about the academy from his brother who took part in the program.

'From the experience from my brother, it kind of seemed like black people getting together learning black things,” Dooley said. 'It seemed like another history class. Then I went there, and we talked about social issues and I'm like ‘Where did this come from? because we don't talk about this in school, we don't do this and that in school.”

Borsay and Dooley are two students who have taken part in the six-week summer session through the Academy for Scholastic and Personal Success. The academy, which works to help students of color 'toward productive citizenship through cultural awareness and educational achievement,” marks its 25th anniversary this year.

The program is focused on students of color entering grades nine through 12. At the conclusion of the six-week course, students take a trip designed to increase their cultural knowledge.

Students say the academy helps them grow personally and academically, while challenging them to excel in school by taking Advanced Placement classes, for example.

During her time as a student at the academy, Borsay became more comfortable speaking in front of others. As part of a language arts course, she read plays and took turn reading parts with a group of students.

'For me, I don't like public speaking,” said Borsay, 18, a senior at Kennedy High School. 'I think that helped me become more comfortable with it. It was a whole group effort (rather) than just you reading the part. I really liked that.”

Dooley has already completed two summers of coursework at the academy. He is awaiting word on whether he will be accepted this summer for his third year.

Every year, one of the social issues discussed during Wednesday seminars is the use of the 'n-word” and in what context it is okay to use the word, Dooley said. Students ask and answer: has the use of the word changed through history?

During class, students also discuss the word with professors, too. Hearing their perspectives has helped Dooley feel more aware of the history and context of the word, he said.

In addition to building friendships, the program aims to build stronger adults who are more prepared to be positive contributors to society, its executive director said.

'In this particular part of the country, the demographics are so skewed, that young people of color can grow up never having seen a positive black role model, teacher or a person in a corporate setting,” said Ruth White, executive director of the academy. 'Underneath getting to know one another, which is part of the mission, it is to get students to understand their culture through literature, history, math, science and post-secondary seminar.”

The post-secondary seminar is helping Dooley prepare for life after high school, he said.

'A lot of times school just focuses on college,” he said. 'Post-secondary also helps with college but what's after college? How are you going to get a job? I found that to be something I don't learn in school and something that I need to know.”

During this seminar, students conduct mock job interviews and have to dress the part, complete with job applications in hand. This provided Dooley with valuable experience, he said.

During the cultural trip, Dooley and Borsay both had a chance to visit historically black colleges and universities. Prior to her trip to Atlanta, Tuskegee and Memphis, Borsay said she didn't know there were colleges solely for black students.

Borsay will graduate from Kennedy on May 31. She plans to attend Kirkwood Community College for a year or two before transferring to a four-year university to study public health.

After graduation, Dooley plans to attend Arizona State University where he intends to major in criminal justice and law enforcement. Eventually, he wants to be a special agent or detective, he said.

Throughout the academy's history, White said the academy is serving more biracial students and students from Africa. Two years ago, the student population was one-third African American, one-third students from Africa and one-third biracial students.

Borsay was born in Liberia before coming to the United States in 2001.

The application period for this summer's session has closed. Enrollment for summer 2015 will open at the end of February and continue through the first week of May, White said. Typically, there are 25 to 35 students per summer session, she said.

Teachers are recruited primarily from the University of Iowa. For the past five years, classes have been held at Mount Mercy University.

The Academy Expansion, or mini-academy, serves third through fifth graders. During the academic year, 15 to 22 students are enrolled in the weekly program. This program is in its eighth year and meets at Johnson School of the Arts.

To mark its 25th anniversary, the Academy for Scholastic and Personal Success will hold its eighth annual tribute dinner on June 21 from 5 to 8:30 p.m. at the African American Museum, 55 Twelfth Ave. SE in Cedar Rapids. The academy will honor alumni with the first-ever recipients of the award of distinction.

The evening begins with registration and networking from 5 to 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. and the program from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Individual tickets are $50 or $350 for a table of eight. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.TheAcademySPS.com.