AND JAMARR HOSKINS

“Keep on Keeping on”: Boys from the Circle of Excellence Speak on Their Educational Experiences Before and During the Pandemic by Bryce Davis Bohon and Jamarr Hoskins

“Justice. It’s being fair to everyone, Treating us the same. It’s standing up for someone or something. It’s fighting for the people.” – Bryce Davis Bohon (2015)

The following features the experiences of two middle-school Black males on their participation in the Circle of Excellence, a community program in St. Louis, Missouri promoting STEM education. The first student attended public school and began homeschooling before the pandemic, while the second has attended public and private schools. As they share their experiences in the program, they reflect upon challenges and highlights of their educational journeys.

My Circle of Excellence Experience

by Bryce Davis Bohon In the Circle of Excellence, we learned how to play a math game called Equations. We also participated in the FIRST LEGO League, won its Robotics Best Project Award, and took coding classes. In the Circle of Excellence, I have done many awesome things like presenting at a conference in Hawaii. I also made new friends and learned a ton of new things. Because there is no other group like it, I think creating more places like the Circle of Excellence would benefit Black boys. Why? When I went to public school, I was the best reader in my class. But I noticed that all the other Black boys were in lower-level reading groups. Also, at my old school, there was a program called LEAP for talented and gifted students. There were no Black boys or girls in the program. I think this is unfair, because the smartest kids I know are Black, and I think the school did not respect or care about that.

I think the Circle of Excellence helps Black boys feel more comfortable learning new things and at the same time makes it fun. Sometimes Black boys do not have Black mentors. With the Circle of Excellence, we have Black mentors to help with math, science, and just about anything. When I went to public school, we had after-school activities like the Board Games Club. I prefer the Circle of Excellence over things like that, because in public school, they honestly don’t care what your future career is going to be. With the Circle of Excellence, they actually care about your future. They want you to succeed. Currently in the Circle of Excellence, we are working on an award-winning science fair project to filter dirty water. The Circle of Excellence is truly the most amazing group I have ever taken part in. I hope that everyone can have the same experience with the Circle of Excellence that I have had.

My Experience with the Circle of Excellence

Jamarr Hoskins As a Black boy, I attended and still attend a predominately white school. A long time ago, I was in an advanced math group. I liked it there. It was a place where I could do challenging math while having a good time. I found out over my winter break that some people wouldn’t be able to participate anymore. I am a strong math student, so I thought my spot was solidified. My mom was told the scoring had changed, so I was no longer eligible for math enrichment. In response, my parents enrolled me in the Circle of Excellence, a STEM team for Black boys that met at an African American bookstore called Eye See Me. I really didn’t want to go at first, but I am glad I did. While on this team, I learned so much and got involved in so many things. Because of my involvement in the Circle of Excellence, I participated in the Noetic Math contest, where I was one of the highest scorers out of over 7,000 students in my grade. I also participated in various competitions, from robotics to math. On more than one occasion, my school team competed against the Circle of Excellence. During one of the robotics competitions, my school and the Circle of Excellence competed against each other. The Circle of Excellence won an award and my school’s team did not. My overall involvement in the Circle of Excellence program allowed me to conquer my fear of public speaking and opened me up to other experiences I probably would not have been exposed to otherwise. I don’t know if my skin color played a role in not being chosen for my school’s team, but I do know the Circle of Excellence accepted me the way I am and gave me experiences my school did not. I am not angry at my school. I just see it as one door being closed, and another one opening.

References

Davis-Bohon, B. (2015). Justice: A seven-year-old St. Louisian speaks. Western Journal of Black Studies, 39(4), 272. https://education.wsu.edu/documents/2016/07/wjbs-winter2015.pdf/