Today we’d like to introduce you to Adam Whitaker.
Adam C. Whitaker was born in Waukegan, IL and raised in Dallas, Texas. He grew up in the Oak Cliff and South Dallas sectors of town. At a very young age, he witnessed his mother struggle as a single parent to provide financially. Despite these challenges, Adam’s mother, a former teacher, instilled in him a strong passion for education and community service.
During his high school years, he attended Lincoln Humanities and Communications Magnet High School and received the Gilbert Academy tuition scholarship, during his Senior year, to attend Dillard University. At Dillard, he majored in English and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree. After graduation, he pursued a career in education by working for the Junior National Young Leaders Scholars program and then accepted his first teaching position in Dallas Independent School District. Adam went on to complete dual Master’s degrees in Curriculum and Instruction and Educational Leadership from the University of Texas at Arlington and Dallas Baptist University, respectively.
He has 15 years of experience in education and has (1) provided professional development for teachers at the campus and district level, (2) recruited new teachers and facilitated pre-service training for The New Teacher Project, and (3) worked with Big Thought and The National Young Leaders Conference. His research interests include culturally relevant pedagogy, vocabulary instruction, gifted and talented pedagogy, and curriculum mapping. In his spare time, he enjoys working out, traveling, the arts, and spending quality time with friends and family.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Starting a non-profit organization is a challenging feat. Some of the challenges are raising money to fund the scholarship yearly, marketing and branding, and establishing a broad vision for serving students. Other challenges are keeping the faith and balancing life and work. I am a full-time educator, I started an educational services business, and I have LYU. I have a broad vision for the impact I want to have on the Dallas community, but it is sometimes difficult making the vision come to fruition. At times, I am frustrated and sometimes I feel like giving up. In these moments, I try to reflect on the lessons taught to me by my mother: (1) She taught me to keep God first, and (2) She taught me to remember that my name means “in the image of God” and instilled in me that I can do all things through faith.
Please tell us about Lead Youth Upward – what should we know?
LYU’s initial focus is to provide African-American and Hispanic students with a $2,500 scholarship to attend a community college or 4-year university. The organization is currently in the process of developing programming that focuses on project-based learning for students of color in grades 9-12 that promotes 21st-century skills and technological literacy. The organization is unique, in that, the founder has a passion for educating students of color and has had success in the public-school system working with students of color and propelling them to success. In just two years, the organization has awarded $5,000 dollars in scholarships and looks forward to increasing the scholarship and developing programming that impacts the Dallas community.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I thank God, but most importantly, my Mom has been one of the major keys to my success. Additionally, I thank my close friends, fraternity brothers, and family members that have supported my budding non-profit.
Contact Info:
- Email: leadyouthupward@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leadyouthupward/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeadYouthUpward/
- Other: Pay Pal for Donations: leadyouthupward@gmail.com
Image Credit:
Ari Talton Photography
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