I ran across this independent assessment of The Eagle Academy from 2004. Insideschool.org is The Independent Guide to New York Public Schools. It complements what we heard from David Banks.

One of two all-male schools to open in New York City in 2004, the Eagle Academy for Young Men is off to a promising start. Principal David Banks, former head of the successful Bronx High School for Law, Government and Justice, played a key role in developing the idea for this school, along with One Hundred Black Men, Inc., an organization of African-American professionals, including former New York City Mayor David Dinkins, actor Danny Glover, entertainer Bill Cosby, and trial lawyer Johnnie Cochran, Jr. Together, they hope to create a school that can ready young men for college, while educating them about obstacles they may face and how to overcome them.

"The Eagle Academy is an idea whose time has come and [it fills] a great need in the community," says Banks. "Hearing statistics stating that 50 percent of African American men are unemployed or unemployable is unconceivable. We felt we needed to take a chance. Teachers have to create a curriculum based on how boys learn and they provide hands on experiences to address boys' natural competitive nature. "Far too many [African and Hispanic] young men are not making it. Single sex education may not be the answer but it is worth the try." The mayor, chancellor and the community have all shown support for this type of school.

Among the school's offerings is a one-on-one mentoring program that matches up students, based on their career interests and or social needs, with a member of One Hundred Black Men for the duration of high school.

The school takes pains to keep students on the track to college and that means a lot is demanded of them. The school day, for example, lasts until 5:30 p.m., with study groups and homework help offered after regular classes end. School is also in session on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon, when students take part in intramural sports, as well as classes on such topics as financial planning and leadership. Dinner is provided for the students due to the length of the required school day.

During our visit a double-period math class, led by a capable teacher, impressed us. He was firm, but it was clear that he cared about the boys as he went from desk to desk to make sure they understood the concepts being taught. In an English class, also lasting two periods, students read from Bad Boy, a memoir by Walter Dean Myers about growing up in Harlem in the 1940s and 1950s. Everyone in the class took turns and read aloud. "Kids are producing," said the school's literacy coach. "In after-school they ask for the help they need and the teachers have to keep things creative to keep the discussions moving. What's great is that these boys are discussing academic topics, not just sports."

The school still has some rough edges to smooth. It took quite a few minutes -- and a stern, but not belittling, reminder from the teacher -- for the students in a global history class to stop chattering and settle down. "Without the presence of young ladies to impress, the young men revert back to their natural playfulness," says Banks. The mentoring program helps keep the young men on task. If a student has a minor behavior problem, the school informs the mentor, and he, in turn, speaks to the student about it on the phone or in person during the Saturday academy.

Monday through Thursday students are required to wear a school uniform that includes a tie decorated with eagles. Friday and Saturday are dress-down days -- polo shirts and casual slacks. Extracurricular activities include a chess club and a program in which students raise money to build schools in third world countries. Students also take trips to tour colleges and universities.

Admissions: The school is as interested in parents as the kids. Both must agree in writing to support all aspects of the school, from its dress code to community service requirement. (Jacquie Wayans, October 2004)



Parent Tawana Dunham writes: "I am really happy that my son was accepted into the Eagle Academy for young men. It is about time someone noticed our young men need help, guidance, and encouragement from positive male figures." (March 2005)
As per Principal David Banks, this school will be housed in the Bronx School for Law, Government & Justice for the first year and then will move into its own building in the West Farms area of the Bronx. (June 2004)

The young men at Eagle Academy always dress in uniforms. Monday through Thursday it’s a blue shirt, Eagle Tie, and dark slacks. Each class has a different color Eagle Tie. The less formal, casual dress, is an Eagle polo shirt and khaki slacks which is worn on Fridays and Saturday mornings.

That’s right the students have school on Saturday morning. The time is used for special enrichment activities which in many schools usurp regular weekday school time.
At Eagle Academy guest speakers come Saturday morning, and many community members offer workshops in their field of expertise such as “Financial Management” or “Proper Etiquette.” Founding Principal David Banks says it’s often easier to get well known speakers on Saturday morning than during the week when they maintain heavy schedules. He listed Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, former New York City mayor David Dinkins, U.S. Representative Charlie Rangle as a few of the Academy’s guests.

All parent related activities are also held on Saturday morning and range from parent-teacher conferences to workshop for parents. Since these activities are not scheduled at the end of a work day, Banks says, attendance is excellent.

Many of the participants at Tuesday’s all day session felt that a Saturday program would be beneficial to a lot of their kids. They recognized, however, how the nuts and bolts of making it happened
could put up an obstacle.

As I mentioned yesterday the mentors also meet one Saturday morning a month to share best practices

Banks says boys like to be on teams but they also like the competition that can result from this . In its after school program Eagle Academy does have competitive sports teams, but also boast a Debate Team, a Chess Team and a newly formed Robotics Team, all of which compete locally, and beyond.

The after school program also provides tutoring sessions which are voluntary during the first quarter but become mandatory for students at risk after first term.

There is also a summer bridge program for students who will be entering the Academy as freshmen in the fall. It attempts to orient the students to the Academy’s culture, and also help them improve their reading, writing and math skills.

David Banks emphasized in all of his responses, that each of these activities is not an isolated piece but part of an overall culture of excellence that is built into every aspect of the school

Here are some more attendee action plans from Tuesday:

“Implementing a Saturday Academy for Middle School students”

“Try to start a summer program that targets young men and prepares them for high school.”

"Implementing a summer school for inner city males with a heavy emphasis on charcter building."

The first all day session of the Wheelock/ Delores Walker Johnson Center for Thoughtful Leadership at Atlas Learning Communities - The Education of Black Male Youth -offered a great opportunity to a group of 50 educators to think about the issue, and to leave with a specific action to take to make a difference in their students lives.

Plenary speaker David Banks (see yesterday’s posting) said we’ve talked about the negative experience of Black Male Youth, written about it, held conferences about it, talked again about it, written additional books about it, and held more conferences about it. “It’s time we do something about ,” Banks asserted. He said he had been influenced to return to education by a headline in The New York Times: "Black Men-An Endangered Species?"
Banks, in more detail than Monday night, described the Eagle Academy for Young Men, a New York City Public School, which he founded three years ago. While his emphasis was the creation of an all around culture where Academic Excellence, Leadership, Character Development, Mentoring, Integrity and Community Service could thrive, he recommended that the first thing that everyone could do, was to find a one on one mentor for those particular Black Youth who give the teachers and administrators the most problems. “Not only will those boys do better but you’ll gain new cheerleaders for your school,” Banks suggested.
Eagle Academy provides a separate mentor for each of its 265 young men. The mentors come from all walks of life, and are asked to stay with their mentee for his four years of high school.
There is a full time Mentor Coordinator for the program. Each Mentor must pass a criminal back ground check, participate in a 3 hour training, and meet with other mentors one Saturday a month to share best practices.

“It’s a powerful experience to walk into a large room and see a group of men doing the right thing.” David Banks

The emphasis on mentoring hit a chord with the attendees. When asked at the end of the day to write one thing each planned to do as a result of the day’s experience, many gave variations of the following:

“I am determined to find mentors for the boys in my school.”

“Implement a mentoring program for sixth grade boys.”

“Develop a Mentoring Program for my male student.”


Hopefully many of these attendees will share through comments on this blog how their plans are materializing.

David Banks, a dynamic and straight talking educator, spoke at the second of five pre seminar sessions-The Education of Black Male Youth- at Wheelock College yesterday afternoon. Banks, who is headmaster of the all boys Eagle Academy in New York City, in an almost next step from last week's program, described the support his mother and father gave to him and his two younger brothers to make sure they could be successsful. He describes his mom as 5' and nothing, but a tremendously forceful person; and his dad, a retired New York City policeman, as both old school and new school. His old school was "follow the rules or else," but his new school was an explanation of why, Banks says he tries to follow their example in his work with his students holding kids to high expectations but making it clear why it's important.
Banks has an undergraduate degree from Rutgers and a law degree from St John's University, and started the Bronx School of Law, Government and Justice before opening Eagle Academy three years ago.
Banks says the reason students name Eagle as their first choice for high school, is because they know each student gets a mentor at the school.
David Banks will delve deeper into Eagle today at the all day Atlas Wheelock Seminar-Soaring with Eagle.