Champions of Change

Champions of Change: Educational Excellence For African Americans

The White House honors ten Americans for their work in promoting educational excellence for African Americans in their communities.

Hedy Chang directs Attendance Works, a national initiative aimed at advancing student success by ensuring educators, community partners, and families work together to monitor and intervene when...

Robert Balfanz is a professor at Johns Hopkins University, School of Education, and Co-Director of the Everyone Graduates Center. He works to end the nation’s high school dropout crisis by...

Haben Girma empowers students with disabilities to become better self-advocates, and teaches families and educators to set high expectations. The first deafblind student at Harvard Law School, she...

Michael Graham lives in Durham, North Carolina and works at the Durham VA Medical Center. He is married and has three children, one of whom has Downs Syndrome. Michael grew up and went to school...

Joyce is the Director of Citizens for a Better Greenville. Joyce became involved in grassroots organizing throughout the community as a tribute to her parent’s legacy. Her mother, who is 91 years...

Phillip Jackson was born into and resided in public housing in Chicago. Mr. Jackson attended eleven Chicago public schools with varying levels of success. He graduated from Roosevelt University...

Becky James-Hatter is President and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri, serving St. Louis City, as well as, St Louis, St. Charles, Jefferson, and Cape Girardeau counties. As a 24-...

Esther L. Bush serves as the President and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh which was recently ranked as one of the nation’s top performing affiliates. Ms. Bush was appointed by...

Kyle Bacon is an entrepreneur committed to youth development and community service. As Mentor Program Coordinator of the U.S. Dream Academy learning center in Washington, D.C., Kyle uses his...

Erin Jones was born in the United States but raised in the Netherlands, where her parents worked as teachers at the American School of The Hague. Erin speaks four languages and returned to the...