Our culture, our pride
I am a Black, male CEO of University Preparatory Charter School for Young Men, a successful charter school that provides opportunities for children from neighborhoods where I was raised, in a public school system that allowed me to dream and prepared me for college and career, and in a role that fulfills my passion to build the next generation of leaders for my community.
I am proud of the culture we’ve created at UPrep. Our excellence is intentional and distinct. We purposely embed diversity, equity, and inclusion practices in everything we do, from curriculum and instruction to hiring practices and staff development. At UPrep, our teachers are developed, supported, and thrive in educating young men of color. In addition to meaningful practices, my students see me every day as an academic leader, mentor, and advocate for our community.
We know that students benefit from having teachers who resemble and represent them. Research indicates that Black students are less likely to dropout and likely to attend college when they have a Black teacher in their formative years. As it stands, 15 percent of public-school students in the United States identify as Black. Yet, only 7 percent of public-school teachers identify as Black. While Black teachers make up a small percentage of the teacher workforce in Rochester, at UPrep we have fostered a culture in which an overwhelming majority of our staff resembles the student body.
In response to the excellence that is modeled by our educators, our young men have asked for opportunities to follow suit. Our team is working with area colleges to develop a dual enrollment program with built-in incentives and opportunities for our students pursue teacher apprenticeships, mentorship, and professional learning. UPrep’s Career and Technical Education program also helps our learners find employment upon graduation.
UPrep’s culture demonstrates that it is possible to model excellence, through educators and through learning opportunities for our children. Let's replicate that.
WALTER LARKIN Jr.
CEO, University Preparatory Charter School for Young Men
