The 2023 Above & Beyond: Innovators
09/12/2023
Echoing Common’s lines from ‘The 6th Sense’, “I just want to innovate and stimulate minds, travel the world and penetrate the times” – my journey has been aligned to that.
News archive
EAF’s Summer Institute Returns!
08/01/2023
Reflecting on the dynamic three-day journey of our Eagle Summer Institute, we remain in awe of the commitment, wisdom, and spirited engagement that was shared by all attendees.
2023 Eagle Academy Graduation
07/08/2023
On behalf of the Eagle Academy Foundation, CONGRATULATIONS to our Principals, educators, school staff, parents, and caretakers across the Eagle Network.
Jordan Pierre S.I. Newhouse School Of Public Communications Commencement Speech
07/07/2023
An inspiring speech by Jordan Pierre of the Eagle Academy Brooklyn class of 2019. Jordan has continued to live, breathe, and exude Eagle values throughout his post-secondary journey and we’re proud to let you know that Jordan is now a graduate of Syracuse University.
Syracuse grad’s powerful commencement speech goes viral
06/30/2023
When Jordan Pierre was selected by his teachers and peers at Syracuse University to address his fellow graduates during the commencement, he took the opportunity to speak from the heart.
‘Merch Madness’: Fanatics donates hats, shirts to hundreds of Harlem students
06/28/2023
HARLEM – Hundreds of students from the Frederick Douglass Academy were joined by students from the Eagle Academy for a last day of school unlike any other – a Merch Madness giveaways
Message from the President – Donald M. Ruff, Jr.
01/01/2023
Creating change and destroying systemic barriers is never easy; from the Board to students to administrators to parents and beyond, your dedication is what inspires me.
Jamal’s Journey from Guyana to Morehouse College and Angel Investing
12/01/2022
Creating change and destroying systemic barriers is never easy; from the Board to students to administrators to parents and beyond, your dedication is what inspires me.
My Eagle Trip to Robert F. Smith’s Colorado Compound
11/21/2022
I traveled to Blackhawk, Colorado as an Eagle Ambassador for the Eagle
Academy Foundation. My experience there was beyond amazing.
When Life Hands You Lemons: 3 Brooklyn Teens on What it Takes to Graduate High School and Get into College
07/11/2022
Across some urban areas of the United States, as many as 50% of Black males do not graduate from high school. An Ocean Hill public school is fixing this, one
HARLEM TEENS RECEIVE BUSINESS ADVICE FROM NICK CANNON, PLACE THIRD IN NATIONAL PITCH COMPETITION
06/06/2022
Team reMind Me of Eagle Academy for Young Men of Harlem took 3rd place, with a $2,500 cash prize… Team reMind Me presented an iOS app designed to combat and
WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF COLLEGE — AND DOES IT HAVE ROOM FOR MEN?
05/18/2022
“One of the things that we wanted to do is actually create a school and a culture where young men could feel safe, where young men can authentically just be themselves, be boys.” – Donald Ruff, Jr.
Teacher Appreciation
05/06/2022
soaring: the Blog Teacher Appreciation The six Eagle Academy for Young Men public schools are often celebrated for the incredible and inspiring results the young men display socially, emotionally, and
WBC Cares about Eagle Academy
04/28/2022
WBC Cares visited with Eagle Academy for Young Men of Harlem. Eagle Academy is the only school in NYC with a boxing program and now that youth are returning to
If you really want to bridge the racial wealth gap, stop asking families of color to sacrifice so much to educate their children.
03/27/2022
Brooklyn student Leslie Gomez Rivera used to avoid the Midwood High School cafeteria at all costs, spending her lunchtime in classrooms or the library and sometimes going the whole day
David Banks, Educator and Adams Ally, Is Next N.Y.C. Schools Chancellor
12/13/2021
Mr. Banks, who founded the Eagle Academy, a network of public schools for boys, is the first commissioner named to Mayor-elect Eric Adams’s administration.
Philanthropist Robert F. Smith works to bolster financial literacy
11/14/2021
Robert F. Smith tops the list of Black billionaires in America, but it’s his philanthropic work that’s grabbed the most headlines, including a commencement speech where he promised to pay off the student loans of the 2019 graduating class of Morehouse College. Now Smith’s latest gift is designed to teach young people how to handle money, through an app called Goalsetter. TODAY’s Craig Melvin reports.
The Eagle Academy Foundation Announces Major Gift from Robert F. Smith, Powered by Goalsetter App Technology
10/23/2021
The Eagle Academy Foundation Announces Major Gift from Robert F. Smith, Powered by Goalsetter App Technology Smith to donate stock shares in five portfolio companies to students, teachers, and staff
SECOND-GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS NEED SUPPORT, TOO
06/25/2021
If you really want to bridge the racial wealth gap, stop asking families of color to sacrifice so much to educate their children.
Eagle Celebrates Black History Award-Winning Scholars
05/22/2021
Eagle Celebrates Black History Award-winning Scholars Eagle Celebrates Black History Award-winning Scholars The Eagle Academy Foundation is pleased to dedicate our inaugural blog post to the winners of the Fund II
NYPD commissioner talks social justice with students
03/19/2021
NEW YORK — A candid conversation, up close and personal with NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea, answering questions from students of color during the Eagle Academy’s 19th virtual town hall to
City police commissioner talks NYPD-community relations with charter school students
03/19/2021
The city’s top cop found himself on the spot Friday when a high school student from Staten Island pressed him during a town hall on what the NYPD is doing
First Black Woman to Run N.Y.C. Schools Faces Huge Task: Full Reopening
02/26/2021
Meisha Porter, a longtime Bronx educator whom Mayor Bill de Blasio named on Friday as his choice to replace Richard A. Carranza as schools chancellor, began her path to the chancellorship
NYC Schools Get First Black Female Chancellor as Carranza Abruptly Resigns During Ongoing COVID Crisis
02/26/2021
Bronx parent Farah Despeignes awoke to what she considered good news Friday, 11 months into a painful pandemic that brought not only trauma and loss, but also a series of
Report reveals NYC racial gap in degree attainment
02/11/2021
A new study outlines the size of the education gap between Black and Hispanic people when compared to white people. The Center for an Urban Future (CUF) report, titled “Building
New York City Mayoral candidates share their plans on improving city public schools
02/01/2021
Close to 1,500 parents, educators and community members registered to attend a virtual forum on Sunday with some of NYC’s 2021 mayoral candidates. They wanted to voice their concerns about
De Blasio & Carranza look to upend the admissions process
01/28/2021
David Banks weighs in on screening in the admissions process.
New Documentary Looks at a Day in the Life at the Eagle Academy
01/26/2021
Now available on HBO Max, “The Infamous Future” documentary is set in New York City and shines a spotlight on an academic institution that is dedicated to helping young men.
NYC Mayoral Candidates Talk Education in Forum
01/26/2021
Mayoral candidates will have another opportunity on Sunday January 31st to share their vision for our schools in a forum with the Black Educators Coalition.
NYC mayoral candidates talk education in forum
01/26/2021
Candidates for New York City’s 2021 mayoral elections took questions from educators Tuesday evening in a forum organized by The Council of School Supervisors and Administrators. “Our voices are trusted
The Infamous Future
01/21/2021
HBO Max began streaming “The Infamous Future,” on January 1, 2021 highlighting the unique pedagogy of The Eagle Academy Foundation’s schools, which center Black and brown boys in pursuit of
BronxNet – The Bronx Buzz | January 21st, 2021
01/21/2021
David C. Banks, President/CEO of The Eagle Academy Foundation, along with John Campbell, Executive Producer of The Infamous Future, to tell us more about the unique perspectives of inspired educators,
TRAILER: ‘The Infamous Future’ Follows Boys of Color at NY’s The Eagle Academy for Young Men (Watch)
12/30/2020
”The Infamous Future,” a documentary following the Black and brown boys of The Eagle Academy for Young Men schools amid America’s severe education inequity, will begin streaming New Year’s Day
Academic Gap: Why Black students lag behind in schools and what’s being done to fix it
11/16/2020
NEW YORK — When David C. Banks helped open the first Eagle Academy for Young Men in the South Bronx in 2004, he had a goal firmly in mind.
Beyond Thriving: Building a Strong Community
10/29/2020
Education and nutrition are the cornerstones of a strong community. In this week’s episode of #BeyondThriving our #thriverthursday producers Jade Anderson and Gabriel Kerr sit down with David Banks, President…..
Interview on NYC Return to School
10/27/2020
Eagle Academy President & CEO David C. Banks sits on the city advisory board to reopen schools. He explains his disagreement with reopening the schools, and the impact the closure
Inside City Hall: State of Our Schools
10/09/2020
Eagle Academy Foundation President and CEO David C. Banks appears on NY1 to discuss the reopening of middle & high schools during the COVID pandemic.
New York City Mayor’s Advisory Council Warned of Teacher Shortage Four Months Ago
09/27/2020
The Wall Street Journal – Members of Advisory Council said schools needed more guidance in June to be ready on time.
State of Our Schools
09/25/2020
Bronx – Eagle President and CEO David C. Banks offers hope to parents and teachers in challenging times.
A Statement From The President And CEO Of The Eagle Academy Foundation, On NYC DOE Schools Reopening
09/23/2020
BKReader- The Mayor’s response to schools reopening is simply unacceptable.
Internet Access All NYC Students Deserve: All Families Need Broadband Access for Remote Learning
08/26/2020
New York Daily News- Opinion article by David C. Banks urging the city to step up and help the 18% of households in the city who lack internet at home,
What Young Black Men Need and Deserve
06/12/2020
New York Daily News – Eagle Scholars Jayson Fox and Kareem Alkassar, speak truth to power in this piece.
Rising Voices Library Highlights Stories Of Black And Latino Boys
05/25/2020
Here & Now – With many summer camps and vacations canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic, books can still give children a sense of adventure.
These 45 Education Experts Will Advise NYC on Reopening Schools
05/22/2020
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Mayor Bill de Blasio has announced that education leaders, experts and advocates will sit on a council to help guide New York City in reopening school
Here’s Who is advising de Blasio on reopening NYC schools
05/11/2020
Chalkbeat- A panel of education leaders and advocates was appointed by Mayor Bill de Blasio to guide the city’s reopening plans. This panel included Eagle Founder & CEO David C.
Tech Companies Must Pitch In During The Pandemic to Innovate Remote Learning Methods
03/24/2020
The current COVID-19 pandemic is forcing us to think deeper about how our school system functions.
The Eagle Academy for Young Men is beating the odds when it comes to students of color
02/24/2020
The Eagle Academy for young men is helping students defy the odds with a graduation rate of almost ninety percent compared to the national rate of just under sixty percent.
How Library of Black Protagonists Will Help Kids of Color
02/20/2020
NowThis News – The Rising Voices Library is full of books with protagonists of color to inspire Black & Latino kids and provides them with high-interest, culturally relevant texts that
2020 Education Power 100
02/18/2020
City & State Magazine recognized 100 of New York’s dedicated educators, including Eagle CEO & President David C. Banks.
A Unique Collection in the Bronx of Black, Latino Male Stories
02/12/2020
Brooklyn – PIX11 Principal Cecelia Gutierrez shares with PIX11 News, how the Rising Voices Collection “ties in with the work that we’re doing to make sure all of our students
Summit Aims to Empower Young Men of Color
02/08/2020
Brownsville – The Eagle Academy Foundation in Brownsville kicked off its Black History celebrations with a summit that aims to achieve social change- including speakers, workshops and African rituals.
Urban Agenda: Preparing Students for the New Economy Starts with Developing our Teachers
02/06/2020
Amsterdam News- In Teachers are the engine of change. If our teachers learn about the new economy through immersive professional development experiences, they can transform outcomes for a generation of
We Need to Teach Young Men of Color Differently. That Starts With Books Where They Are Celebrated
01/05/2020
The 74 Million- Educators, teachers, boys and young men of color need to see, read and include literature that speaks to black and Latino culture in their curriculum choices.
Empowering Young Men of Color to SOAR Above Adversity – TEDX Fairfield University
11/20/2019
Fairfield – EAF President & CEO David C. Banks outlines his visionary approach to the education of young men of color, emphasizing a partnership between schools and communities based on
Founder of Eagle Academy Schools Compiles Library with Role Models for Students of Color
11/19/2019
QNS – David C. Banks, the President and CEO of the Eagle Academy Foundation has curated — in collaboration with with Scholastic — a new collection of books for kindergarten
New Rising Voices Classroom Library from Scholastic and David C. Banks Celebrates the Stories of Black and Latino Boys
10/24/2019
Press Release – Today, Scholastic announced the Rising Voices Library, a new collection of books for K–5 classrooms containing high-interest, authentic texts that celebrate the stories of Black and Latino
Eagle Academy Foundation Hosts Historic College & Career Fair
10/24/2019
Amsterdam News – Hundreds of students attended the College & Career Fair held at Queens College Oct. 18, meeting the representatives of more than 100 colleges at a historic college
Innovation “TED Talks” coming to Fairfield University
10/23/2019
Connecticut Post- Fairfield, CT- Fairfield University will host a diverse line-up of speakers at a TEDx program on October 28, including Eagle Founder David C. Banks.
Flushing College and Career Fair Engages Hundreds of NYC Students
10/21/2019
Queens Daily Eagle- More than 2,000 young men and boys from around New York City visited Queens College Friday for a college and career fair designed to help high schoolers
COLLEGE FAIR OFFERS UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES TO YOUNG MEN OF COLOR
10/18/2019
Queens – Research shows young men of color are underrepresented at colleges across the country, but Eagle Academies are trying to change that with a college fair open to only
How an Unconventional College Fair Could Change the Lives of Young Men at Risk
10/18/2019
Kew Gardens Hills, Queens – Thousands of teens pack a Queens College gymnasium for a college fair targeted specifically at young men of color.
‘INFAMOUS FUTURE’, UN DOCUMENTAL LLENO DE HISTORIAS INSPIRADORAS SOBRE JÓVENES QUE CONSTRUYERON SU CAMINO
10/10/2019
La producción narra las vivencias en las escuelas Eagle Academy, que ofrecen formación de calidad para afroestadounidenses y latinos en Nueva York y Newark. Elizabeth Almonte, directora de innovación de
Powerful new documentary, ‘The Infamous Future,’ showcases Eagle Academy Schools and the plan to prepare young Black men for greatness
11/14/2018
The Grio – The ground-breaking new documentary film, THE INFAMOUS FUTURE insists that young Black and brown men are not going to be labeled as one of America’s “problems,” but
A Better Way to Educate Black Young Men
06/04/2018
New York’s Daily News article by Hillary Clinton, a former secretary of state and U.S. senator from New York and David C. Banks President and CEO of the Eagle Academy
A Golf Centre Grows in Harlem
08/25/2017
New York Times – The Bridge Golf Foundation and Eagle Academy partner because their missions align, both are dedicated to providing educational opportunities to urban young men of color.
United Way and the Giants Partner for Education
09/22/2016
Amsterdam News – Monday, at the Eagle Academy for Young Men in the Bronx, the United Way of New York City and the New York Giants, with the support of
Recapping the DNC Live Blog: Party Divisions Make Education a Risky Political Topic for Clinton
07/29/2016
Philadelphia – The ‘unconquerable’ young men of NYC’s Eagle Academy perform at the DNC, impress Joe Biden, among others during the DNC Live Blog.
Eagle Academy Students Recite ‘Invictus’ In One Of The DNC’s Most Powerful Moments
07/26/2016
Philadelphia – Tuesday night’s Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia was just about to get a bit boring, until the Eagle Academy students recited “Invictus” and brought everyone back to life.
Nathanael Rose Competes at World Championships, Wins Opening Match
09/12/2015
New York- Nathanael Rose has been in control of nearly all his matches over the past two years, as he captured two state championships for Eagle Academy…but when he first
Eagle Academy’s Success with Young Men of Color
04/29/2015
Hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons and David C. Banks, founder of Eagle Academy talk about how the all-male New Jersey public school focuses on building young men committed to academic excellence.
David Banks Helps Young Men SOAR
04/29/2015
MSNBC interviews Eagle Founder & CEO David C. Banks after Freddie Gray’s arrest sparks Baltimore protests. Banks urges a response that focuses on investing in young Black men of color.
13 Who Defeated Adversity Earn New York Times College Scholarships
03/11/2015
The New York Times College Scholarship winners for 2015 on Wednesday. Front row, from left: Selena Bermeo, Likita Griffith, Carlos Ycaza-Zurita, Kawkab Abid, Mah Noor, Paige Pagan and Fatima Khan.
An Afternoon to ‘Soar’
12/19/2014
Amsterdam News – Late Saturday afternoon, more than three dozen friends and neighbors gathered at the home of accomplished artists Rod and Jennifer Ivey anticipating the arrival of David C.
Eagle Academy for Young Men 2014 Graduation News Coverage
06/25/2014
WABC covers graduation day at the Bronx Eagle Academy, made extra special because 100% of students were accepted to College, including one student who was accepted to 21 Colleges.
How Bronx’s Eagle Academy Helps Inner-City Kids Soar
06/23/2014
The Eagle Academy Foundation is planning the launch of the Eagle Institute to help other urban school systems committed to implementing its program on a deeper level.
Brenton James, this year’s valedictorian at Eagle Academy for Young Men in the Bronx, had an eye-popping 21 college offers.
06/23/2014
Daily News – Brenton James, this year’s valedictorian at Eagle Academy for Young Men in the Bronx, had an eye-popping 21college offers.
David C. Banks Honorary Doctorate Ceremony-Wheelock College
05/30/2014
Boston – An emotional moment enfolds as Eagle alumni attending their college graduation rise to recite the William Ernest Henley poem “Invictus” as Eagle Academy President & CEO David C.
Eagle Academy Foundation 2014 Promotional Video
05/12/2014
Learn how Eagle Academies help young men soar through first-hand accounts by students, staff, and our Founder David C. Banks.
Eagle Academy’s Soaring Swagger Turning Boys Into Men
09/30/2013
Daily News – Julius Pugh is already seeing the changes in himself since he started at the all-boys Eagle Academy for Young Men in Harlem this school year.
After Anguish and Grief, a Call to Action
07/31/2013
Open Society Foundations – A call out to have a long overdue, frank discussions about race in America and, more importantly, and to take bold steps to truly transform the
Businesses Seen as Key for City’s Black Students
07/25/2013
Crain’s New York Business – With the graduation rates of black students in the city still lagging behind those of their peers, some public schools have turned to mentoring from
