Forum encourages school support
TROY, N.Y.>> Community members talked education at the most recent Troy 100 event, in a forum themed Supporting Our Schools - Empowering the Next Generation of Our Community.
A large crowd gathered for the biannual forum, held Monday evening at Bush Memorial Hall on the Russell Sage College campus in downtown Troy.
The Troy 100 Forum is a community event put on by the associates at the The Kaleel Jamison Consulting Group, at which people come to share information and to network. Topics change, but the constant common goal is the betterment of Troy.
Troy Mayor Patrick Madden said that Monday’s turnout, people investing their time in the community, is what makes the city so spectacular.
“It’s all about you. It’s all about your participation,” he said to attendees. “Thank you for participating in the city. Thank you for making Troy great.”
Following the mayor, Deputy Mayor Monica Kurzejeski and Elizabeth Young Jojo gave a touching tribute to Troy developer John Hedley, who died earlier this year. The women spoke of his vision for Troy and his determination to make projects happen, resulting in lasting positive change within the city.
The conversation about vision and change for Troy’s future continued with a new set of leaders, Troy’s school principals.
Top administrators from Troy Middle School, Troy High School, Catholic Central High School, Lansingburgh High School and Uncommon Troy were part of an in-depth panel discussion on how the community can support the
schools and empower the next generation.
“There is nothing more important than our children and their future,” said president of The Sage Colleges Dr. Susan Scrimshaw, who moderated the panel discussion.
Scrimshaw asked the school leaders about their visions and goals for the future, some of which were improving graduation rates and proficiency, better serving students who are homeless or living in poverty and making sure students thrive inside and outside of the school environment.
The conversation also shed light on how other people and organizations within the community can help the Troy schools.
Francis Macri, principal of Lansingburgh High School, simply encouraged anyone to come forward with their ideas. “I don’t think any idea is too small, and one idea can grow,” he said.
Troy High School principal Joseph Mariano spoke of how internships, opportunities created through community partnerships, can be valuable experiences for high school students, whether they encourage the student to pursue a career in that field or help the individual realize it’s not the right path for them.
With public, private, charter and Catholic institutions all represented at the Troy 100 forum, panelists spoke about school choice and how it often is determined by a family’s financial status. Christopher Bott, principal of Catholic Central High School, shared about a variable tuition program through which assistance is awarded on a financial needs basis.
Though statistics often show that schools in poor areas don’t do as well as those in wealthy areas, Katie Yezzi, founding principal of Uncommon Troy charter school, said that doesn’t have to be the case.
“The conditions of poverty make educating children extraordinarily challenging,” Yezzi said, but she believes they don’t make it impossible.
Though the room was full of mostly adults on Monday night, the conversation was about kids. Troy Middle School principal Brian Dunn, who specifically works with sixth through eighth graders, recognized the importance of listening to the children and understanding where they’re coming from in order to give them a good education.
The next Troy 100 forum, with a theme of Community Building and Connecting, will be held on Monday, Oct. 23.
For more information on these events visit www. facebook. com/ Troy100 Forum.