SAVE THE DATE  for the ACTS 2022 Spring Banquet!
  

      Ring Out Justice!

     Tuesday - May 24, 2022

                6:00 p.m.

     Drumlins Country Club

           Hope to see you there!

SUPERINTENDENT OF THE SYRACUSE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT (SCSD) PROPOSES BUDGET THAT INCLUDES ACTS YOUTH COUNCIL PROPOSAL FOR COLLEGE & CAREER CENTERS
 

When Suzanne Slack, the Chief Financial Officer for SCSD, presented the Superintendent's budget proposal, funding to initiate new College and Career Readiness Centers in each Syracuse High School was included.  Ms. Slack and Superintendent Jaime Alicea both referred to this component of the new budget as the "ACTS Youth Council Proposal", and thanked the members of the Youth Council for bringing the need for these centers to their attention.  

School Board members Twiggy Billue and Mark Muhammad also spoke in favor of the ACTS Youth Council proposal.  Muhammad stated that including the College and Career Readiness Centers in the budget was "a good move" and suggested that these centers "can really make a difference."  

The budget proposal has several steps to go through before it can be approved, first by the school board and then by the Syracuse Common Council, but getting the centers included in the initial budget proposal was essential.  Each center will have dedicated space with computer equipment, tables and chairs, supplies and reference materials.  A full time counselor and Typist I will be hired to staff each of the five Centers.  They will work directly with students in each year of high school to help them make progress towards their college and career goals.      

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      ACTS CELEBRATES THE YOUTH COUNCIL FOR ITS VISION, HARD WORK AND PROFESSIONALISM IN RESEARCHING, DESIGNING AND PRESENTING THIS PROPOSAL.  THIS SMALL GROUP OF ACTS YOUTH

ARE TRULY MAKING A DIFFERENCE!  THEIR EFFORTS WILL HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON SYRACUSE  STUDENTS FROM ALL BACKGROUNDS AND NEIGHBORHOODS.  THE ACTS YOUTH COUNCIL ROCKS!

ACTS ELECTS NEW BOARD MEMBERS
at its January 27, 2022 General Meeting

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On January 27, 2022 ACTS held its General Meeting at which it

elected 4 new board members and thanked the 3 board members

whose terms had ended.  Outgoing board members included: Aneesah

Evans, Mohamed Khater, and Angela Douglas.  New ACTS board members

include: Darris Williams, Dr. Ednita Wright, Rev. Kathy Hodge Davis, and 

Dale Avers.   

Here is some from information about the 4 new board members:                        ACTS Board President - Rev. Eric Jackson

                                                     Darris Williams retired from his professional work specializing in training

                                                     and professional development in technical fields.  He is congregant of All Saints

                                                     Catholic and a member of 100 Black Men, and serves as Treasurer for both

                                                     organizations.  He received his MBA from LeMoyne College and is a true leader

                                                     and champion for diversity

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                                                             Ednita Wright PhD recently retired from Onondaga Community College                                                                                   where she served as faculty in human services and counseling.  As a

                                                             social worker, Dr. Wright has been involved with many community

                                                             organizations including ACTS where she has played roles in strategic

                                                             planning and human resources as well as co-facilitating sessions

                                                             of the ACTS Race Matters Book Club.  She is affiliated with Zen Center,

                                                             an ACTS member organization.

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                                         Rev. Kathy Hodge Davis is an individual member of ACTS who is associated with Bethany

                                         Baptist Church where she has been in ministry since 2003.  She serves as Assistant to the

                                         Pastor and as Chaplain for The Youth Department and Sick & Shut-Ins.  Rev. Hodge Davis

                                         holds multiple undergraduate degrees and is retired from the Syracuse City School System.

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                                        Dale Avers, PT, DPT, PhD, FAPTA, comes to the ACTS board from All Saints Church through

                                        which she has been active in progressive church circles.  Recently retired, Dr. Avers was

                                        Professor and Director of the Post-professional DPT program in the Program of Physical

                                        Therapy Education at Upstate Medical University and a Fellow of the American Physical

                                        Therapy Association. She has spoken internationally on topics in geriatrics related to optimal

                                        aging, functional evaluation, exercise and evidence-based practice. Dr. Avers has been a

                                        practicing clinician in geriatrics and outpatient orthopedics for over 35 years. 

Continuing their service on the ACTS board are:

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Rev Eric Jackson - Plymouth Congregational Church, United Church of Christ

Brian Moore - Individual Member of ACTS

Dennis Brady - Immaculate Conception Church, Fayetteville

Rev. Jennifer Hamlin-Navias - First Unitarian-Universalist Society

Lennie Turner - Pebble Hill Presbyterian Church

Rabbi David Kunin - Congregation Beth Shalom Chevra Chas

Peter Sarver - St. Lucy’s Catholic Church

Lawrence Brooks - SEIU 1199 Health Workers East

Rev. Dr. Bruce Burns - Hopps Memorial CME Church