Thirteen students represented Central, Webster, Booker T. Washington, Will Rogers, and McLain high schools at the sixth annual Black Male Summit at the University of Central Oklahoma. More than 300 students from across Oklahoma attended the summit on November 17.

Student Success Coordinator Jamaal Dyer says: “The goal of the summit is to help Black men overcome obstacles set by society and to introduce students to college at an early age.”

The students attended programs designed to help them learn to navigate obstacles and get the support they need to be successful. Those sessions covered topics like higher education, masculinity, community policing, the school-to-prison pipeline, voting and politics, mental health, sports and advocacy, personal branding, and social justice.

McLain High School senior Ethan Patrick found inspiration from a session on perseverance. He says: “This changed my life and perspective on a lot of things. I usually give up easily but this encouraged me to be more committed and not give up.”