2025 May Newsletter
2025 May Newsletter
This month we appreciate our teachers and bring awareness to mental health. Over the past five years, ACE has expanded our services to support Black educators through our Black Educator Institute and inform youth through our peer to peer Youth Organizers of Mental Health Education.
As of 2023 in Washington, Black males made up less than 1.3% of all educators. This is in comparison to the 7% of all Black educators nationwide. The BEI exists to support and increase the number of Black male educators in the state of Washington. Through our BlackteacherHub platform, annual Black Male Educator Summit, classroom grant, EmployED, educator social events, and EmpowerED professional development, we have built out an educator platform that provides safe spaces, mentoring and resources that have led to more Black educators in the classroom and staying in the profession.
In partnership with Kaiser Permanente and SOWA, we were able to continue the pre-existing YOMHE program. Through YOMHE, we are able to provide a peer to peer program where four ACE high school and college interns develop and present Black male centered mental health awareness to 175-200 middle and high school youth. Not only has this been a great opportunity for our young men to earn a little money and build on their presentation skills, but they are addressing an issue that impacts them. Self harm is still the number two cause of death for youth and studies have shown a steady increase in poor mental health for teens. Not to mention a long standing stigma in the Black community around mental health supports. What our young men are doing through this program is changing all of that.
I would be remiss if I didn't give a special thank you to my staff. We have had to make some hard choices recently. Despite this being one of our most challenging times in the history of our organization and for me as a leader, ACE is still doing the work. However, we can't do it alone. We need your support. Please consider giving to ACE on an ongoing basis. I would like to encourage you to give $25 a month to this very impactful organization.
Thank you to the team and thank you to our community.
Sincerely,
Clarence Dancer, Jr.
Executive Director
ACE Academy
Join us in making a difference through Washington Gives! Every dollar counts toward our $25,000 goal for ACE Academy’s Summer Learning Experience. Together, let’s empower bright futures!
Fundraising ends May 7th 2025.
Follow this link to support:
https://www.wagives.org/profile/ACEAcademyWA
RECAP: STEM Spring Break Camp
ACE had a blast last week during our Spring Break STEM Camp! Each morning kicked off with an opening huddle that featured a question of the day, Black STEM Spotlight, and a focus on the ACE FAME Values of Family, Academics, Motivation, and Environment. Students also took on exciting STEM projects such as Marble Run, Newspaper Tower Challenge, Sail Cars, Flinker, and more! Health & Wellness was also a focus as we spent time in the ACE gym, Rainier Playfield, and across the street at the football field. Each afternoon was spent building Bluetooth speakers and making a personalized song using artificial intelligence (AI). Friday featured a field trip to Museum of Pop Culture (MOPOP) in which we experienced exhibits such as the Sound Lab, Gaming, Science Fiction, and lunch at Seattle Center!
We’ll have the same group together for our signature ACE Summer Learning Experience July 7 to August 1! Planning is currently underway as we will have favorites such as Drone Making, Life Skills, Health & Wellness, Friday Field Trips, and more. It is all a part of the ACE Mentoring Program in which ACE staff will continue to check in and offer programming for students as they prepare to enter their high school, college, and career journeys.
There is LIMITED space left! If you know a 7th grade Black male in the Seattle area they can still register at tinyurl.com/25ACEMentoring
Please reach out to Mr. Rossman at chris@aceacademywa.org if any questions about camps, the mentoring program, or all things ACE!
2025 Day of Excellence 5k Run/Walk
Day of Excellence 5k Run/Walk
Join Us for the ACE Academy 5K Run/Walk Fundraiser!
Date: Saturday, June 22, 2025
Location: Genesee Park, Seattle, WA
Time: Check-in at 8:00 AM | Race begins at 9:00 AM
Fundraising Goal: $10,000 to support ACE Academy programs
Open to All | Family-Friendly | All Fitness Levels Welcome!
Registration Link: https://aceacademydayofexcellence.eventbrite.com
Get ready to lace up your sneakers and hit the trails for a cause that’s close to home and heart. ACE Academy is hosting its first-ever 5K Run/Walk Fundraiser — and we want YOU there!
This is more than a race — it’s a movement. Whether you're a seasoned runner, a weekend walker, or just want to show up in support, we’re inviting our whole community to come together for Black youth empowerment, education, and opportunity.
How It Works:
Register solo or gather a team of family, friends, or coworkers
Raise funds leading up to race day — every dollar supports ACE's mission
The team that raises the most wins a prize!
The fastest runner in the 5K also takes home a prize
Enjoy music, vendors, food trucks, games, and more on race day
Why Participate?
Funds raised will directly support ACE Academy’s life-changing programs for Black boys and young men—providing educational support, mentorship, enrichment, and a strong foundation for future success.
Extras:
Prizes for top fundraisers + 5K winner
Kids’ activities + face painting
Team spirit awards for best-dressed crews
Food trucks + community vendors
Music, energy, and positive vibes all morning long
Registration Link: https://aceacademydayofexcellence.eventbrite.com
Black Educators: We Are Interested In Visiting YOU!
To end off the school year, the Black Educator Institute would love to visit you!
We would like to conduct site visits to communicate with all Black Educators in Washington to extend our reach, so that we are able to provide resources, professional development opportunities, and various training workshops to you all.
To communicate with you and other Black educators/personnel to discuss more about how the BEI can serve you all. From provisions of classroom materials, to workshops and events you would be interested in. We want to speak with you all intimately to address concerns, and create meaningful connections.
Please let me know if you are interested, and when would be a good time for us to visit, and potentially recruit more educators to the BEI!
Black Educator Focus Group
If you or someone you know is interested in signing up for a focus group about Black Educators, please complete the following survey.
To understand how Black educators experience, influence, and navigate curriculum development and student relationships, especially in terms of cultural responsiveness, autonomy, and connection with students—particularly Black learners.
Following the completion of this form, an in-person will be hosted at our ACE Office.
Focus group will about 1.5 hours
Feature 5-10 educators, both male and female
In-depth discussions about Curriculum Design/Instruction and Student Relationships/Engagement
Key Objectives
Identify how the curriculum reflects (or fails to reflect) Black students’ lived experiences.
Explore the degree of autonomy Black educators have in adapting curriculum.
Examine the strategies educators use to build authentic relationships with students.
Highlight the impact of educator identity on student engagement and belonging.
Surface barriers and opportunities related to culturally responsive teaching and advocacy.
Discussion Focus Areas
Curriculum Design & Instruction
Representation of Black culture, history, and voices in required materials
Flexibility to tailor instruction to student needs
Challenges in implementing culturally relevant pedagogy
Resources and supports needed to design liberatory learning experiences
Student Relationships & Engagement
Approaches to building trust and rapport, especially with Black students
Social-emotional needs of students and how educators meet them
Impact of Black educator presence on student self-esteem and performance
Institutional support (or lack thereof) for meaningful student connection
Student Spotlight: Eyoub
We are proud to highlight Eyoub, a 2024 graduate of Rainier Beach High School and a shining example of excellence within our ACE community. Through hard work and dedication, Eyoub also earned his Associate of Arts (AA) degree from Seattle Central College while still in high school, taking advantage of the Running Start dual-credit program.
Eyoub's journey with ACE began in middle school, participating in programming at South Shore K-8. Since then, he has grown into a strong leader and role model. Currently, Eyoub serves as an intern for our Youth Organizers of Mental Health Education (YOMHE) program, where he has been instrumental in developing and delivering presentations on mental health awareness to peers across the region.
This year, Eyoub was honored as a recipient of the 2024 FAME Scholarship, which he is using to support his continued education at the University of Washington. He is majoring in Marketing and Information Systems and, thanks to his AA degree, entered the university with junior standing as a first-year student.
Eyoub embodies the spirit of FAME — Family, Academics, Motivation, and Environment — and we are excited to see the powerful impact he will continue to make in his community and beyond.