Distinguished Professionals provide insight and advice at the August Martin High School 3rd Speaker’s Bureau Session

News From New York State
Senator Shirley L. Huntley
For Immediate Release: January 13, 2012 
Contact: Bryant G. Gaspard | gaspard@nysenate.gov | (518) 455-3531

Distinguished Professionals provide insight and advice at the August Martin High School
3rd Speaker’s Bureau Session

(D-Jamaica) On January 11, 2011 August Martin High School Students recently had a first-hand learning experience about the careers of several distinguished men and women.  The speakers included Cleavon Evans, Alumni President of August Martin High School, Honorable Ulysses B. Leverett Esq., Judge of the Civil Court, Ralph McDaniels, Host of Video Music Box, and his assistant Derek Miles, Community Activist, Lester R. Muse, Vietnam Veteran and Bronze Star Medal Recipient, Vanessa Sparks, College Advisor, Donald Vernon Esq., Attorney at law and community activist, and Andrene Williams, President and Founder of Lady Doves Enrichment organization.

Senator Shirley L. Huntley, school leaders such as Principal Anthony Cromer of August Martin High School and community advocates decided that providing students real world examples of success and being able to engage with speakers would help increase academic achievement and civic involvement. The Speaker’s Bureau was also designed for at-risk youth to allow them to see different faces and hear different voices that look like them and provide them with confidence that they can excel in life as well.  The speakers came from various backgrounds and shared their life experiences and accomplishments with the students who are now beginning to think what they want to do with their lives.

The goal of the Speaker’s Bureau is to provide mentoring to our youth, and empower them to vision what careers or goals they would like to seek and accomplish that otherwise, would have been out of their scope.  Students need and deserve to have a real life example of a distinguished professional with a successful career, which will provide them the insight and guidance to encourage them to reach and fulfill their goals.