Young, Gifted, and Black 2015

The Office of School and Family Partnerships is proud to present the 2015 Young, Gifted, and Black honorees. This is the sixth year that we have conducted this celebration. Young, Gifted, and Black highlights Portland Public Schools’ and the community’s dedication to celebrate the success of our Black students. It’s crucial for every community to recognize its youth, our most precious gifts. When we uplift these accomplished young people, we uplift our entire community.

Our recognition could not come at a more important time. The death of Trayvon Martin and Jordan Davis, the unrest in Ferguson, Philadelphia and Baltimore reminds us of the perilous world our Young, Gifted, and Black honorees come of age in. That our honorees have remained focused, have maximized their intrinsic motivation and have made a firm commitment to excellence, is not only reassuring but galvanizing for our whole community. The journeys of our Young, Gifted, and Black students are an inspiration to us all.

President Obama said, “I will never forget that the only reason I’m standing here today is because somebody, somewhere stood up for me when it was risky. Stood up when it was hard. Stood up when it wasn’t popular. And because that somebody stood up, a few more stood up. And then a few thousand stood up. And then a few million stood up. And standing up, with courage and clear purpose, they somehow managed to change the world.”

So it is not only just, it is right that we honor these incredibly gifted young people. Let us honor the families they come from, the teachers who inspired them, the community members who nurtured them. And as a community, let us continue to uplift and support, beyond this joyous celebration, our 2015 Young, Gifted, and Black honorees.

Richard Gilliam
Director
Office of School and Family Partnerships Portland Public Schools

 Young Gifted and Black Honorees 2015
Download a pdf of the 2015 Young, Gifted & Black honorees