TRU Skool- Parent Empowering Students Today

      This week on TRU SKOOl we take a look back at our interview with Peter Smith, former head of IS 109's PEST program. Mr. Smith talks about parents participating in  school safety with our host Shango Blake. In light of Sandy Hook School Shooting, this is a must listen to.  The T.R.U. SKOOL movement (Teaching Reading Uniquely/To Reverse Underperformance). Parents, teachers, school leaders, students, and community leaders “T.R.U. SKOOL is here now let's be clear our impact will be enormous” Shango Blake shares insights and model(s) for educational reform. Dubbed “The Hip Hop Principal” by parents and students,he has taken the powerful and magnetic force known as Hip Hop and channeled it into a tool that gets young urban students excited about education while at the same time building their self-esteem and confidence. This Project also benefitted the students by creating a project-based model for teaching valuable skills and lessons that extended from the classroom into practical application. The result of this was not only a student-created music video that screened at the Tribeca Film Festival, also students learned to use their passion to focus on education, self-respect, and self-determination, They were honored by Southeast Queens, New York City, and nationally for their hard work and accomplishment. The success of the project was unparalleled,and combined with other unique teaching methods, projects, and programs, a formerly at-risk school experienced skyrocketing test scores, decreased violence, and students began to realize their own abilities.Through interactive dialogue with his audience,and guests, the mission is to educate ALL AT- RISK communities. www.shangoblake.com