This article was written by Susan Breedlove
A college within the school
Students who are part of the Education Pathways program have dual enrollment, that of their high school and that of Minneapolis College (formerly MCTC). This means that students enrolled in Education Pathways courses at Henry have the opportunity to explore careers in education when they are juniors and seniors in secondary school. They receive up to 12 high school and college credits through Minneapolis College. Minneapolis College sends their syllabus, curriculum and lesson plans to Education Pathway Henry staff. Henry’s high school staff of three create a modified curriculum providing culturally relevant modifications relevant to its school population and the community the students come from. College writing is a skill emphasized in all classes by all three teachers. At the same time, the staff upholds the standards and themes of the college.
Each course has a combination of in-class and field experiences. The goal of the Education Pathways (EP) courses is for students to have greater access to college courses and increase the number of teachers of color in the Henry community. The courses offered at Henry as part of this program are: Introduction to Urban Education, Technology for Educators, Multicultural Education and Introduction to Special Education.
The Staff of Education Pathways
The Education Pathways staff at Henry operate in a shared leadership model. All teach one or more of the classes. All coordinate in development of the program, recruiting members, mentoring students and creating internships in community schools. Currently, they are recruiting 11th and 12th grade students while looking into the possibility of adding 10th graders. Application is open to everyone. Students are encouraged to learn about different educationally related careers within a school such as being a social worker, counselor, teacher, teacher assistant, interventionist, etc.
Tameika Williams is in her third year coordinating and teaching in the Education Pathways program. In the past she recruited students, created curriculum, and partnered with community schools and organizations such as with the national groups Black Men Teach and Educators Rising, and local groups such as Achieve Minneapolis and Beacons of Boys and Girls Club, and the Phillips Foundation. Returnee staff member Sandra Ness focuses on grants and funding, finding new sources for money such as for transportation for students to neighborhood and citywide sites. She is a representative at state and district meetings so that the other two staff in the EP program can spend more time teaching and coordinating. Nafeesah Muhammad has returned to Henry High to complete this staff trio as a part-time teacher and coordinator. She states with enthusiasm, “I will focus on increasing Kindergarten through 12th grade interest in students becoming future educators, helping them to explore and discover all of the potential possibilities within the profession I love so dearly.”
Why are these three staff so committed to Education Pathways?
Ms. Muhammad says, “I am committed to educational justice in North Minneapolis schools. All children deserve a quality education, one that represents their home language, their culture and the neighborhood they live in. Our Northside students deserve educators who honor their whole humanity. Right now, there is a teacher of color pipeline with many holes in it. I am committed to plugging the educational holes, the economic holes, the cultural holes, and institutional knowledge holes that are missing in the pipeline. I am committed to seeing our students’ future dreams come true.”
Ness says, “I am committed to use my white privilege to end white privilege and to support the program in order to increase the number of educators of color within our Northside community.”
Williams says, “Education is liberation, power, and freedom. As a Northsider and former Henry student I am honored to support our [Northside] community with transforming what education looks and feels like for the youth. Educational justice is one of the core values of the Education Pathways program and I am committed to supporting our future and radically changing this system.”
Successes of the past and looking into the future of Education Pathways
The Henry program has gone from one staff person and a handful of students two years ago to this year with 2.7 teacher positions and students still enrolling. Education Pathways enrolled 49 students in last year’s program. Seven seniors were interns at Olson Middle School and Loring Elementary School. Partnership with the Community Connected Academy (CCA) at Henry provided additional within house avenues for students. Several members also participated in a 2023 summer school program held at Lucy Laney School in collaboration with the Step-Up Youth Employment Program of Minneapolis providing paid internships.
Funding for the Education Pathways Program is being sought for the future. Initially, a Grow
Your Own grant was received from the State of MN for four years. A grant from the Phillips Foundation pays for some expenses. Dr. Emily Olson, from the district office of Minneapolis Public Schools, has been a strong advocate of the program at Henry.
According to staff, the future of the Education Pathways program at Henry is based on the premise:
“Advocating our program to be community orientated with
community schools, and community experts so the program stays of us, by us, for us.”