Inaugural Surge Academy Fellows Graduate in Kansas City!

The Surge Institute reaches another milestone in the history of our movement in education as we welcome the first ever graduates from the Surge Academy in Kansas City!

On June 1st, 2019, we celebrated the 2019 Surge Academy Fellows, as they were welcomed into the Surge Alumni community at the Guadalupe Centers in Kansas City, MO. Sly James, Mayor for the city of Kansas City, provided the keynote remarks, while 2019 Surge Academy Fellow and Postsecondary Retention Specialist for Kauffman Scholars, Yolanda Waldon, followed with some words regarding UNITY.

Providing some concluding thoughts for those in attendance was Surge Academy Program Director, Noemí Cortés, who thanked the now Surge Alumni as well as pushed the graduates to continue giving back to this movement to bring change to education for our children.

The ceremony represented a major shift in the Surge narrative as we continue to address the scarcity of leadership development programs for education leaders of color in all types of cities across the United States.

 

Click HERE to view photos from graduation!

 

See the full list of 2019 Surge Academy Graduates below:

Katie Boody, Chief Executive Officer, LEANLAB Education

Jennifer Collier, Chief Human Resources Officer, Kansas City Public Schools

Trinity Davis, Asst. Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction, Kansas City Public Schools

Charles King, Executive Director, Kansas City Teacher Residency

Edgar Palacios, Founder, Latinx Education Collaborative

Selena Rios, Learning and Evaluation Director, City Year Kansas City

Miles Sandler, Director of Engagement – Education, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation

Brittany Stewart, Business Manager, Crossroads Charter Schools

Yolanda Waldon, Postsecondary Retention Specialist, Kauffman Scholars

India Wells-Carter, Program Manager, The New Teacher Project

Erik Wilkinson, Director of Operations, Kauffman Scholars