The alternative high school inside the Monarch Youth Center in Lincoln has been named Nelson Mandela Academy, the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice announced.
IDJJ School District #428 announced the name on Oct. 1, following a naming ceremony held in the gymnasium of the Monarch Youth Center.
Students spent months choosing the name. Working with their teachers, they researched and gave presentations on seven people they felt embodied leadership, determination and perseverance: Nelson Mandela, Rosa Parks, Abraham Lincoln, Malala Yousafzai, Malcolm X, George Washington Carver and Langston Hughes. Educators, youth, school district officials and administrators at the center voted that Mandela would be the best namesake.
"We are continuously pushing our students to see the power of their own voices- to understand that real, lasting, meaningful, impact comes through collaboration, reflection, and leadership, not force or violence," said Traci Knisley, principal of Nelson Mandela Academy. "Officially becoming Nelson Mandela Academy reflects not only the power of their voices, but the genuine respect this district and the agency have for their perspectives."
IDJJ Director Rob Vickery said, "Superintendent Dunbar and her team engaged in a thoughtful and inclusive process to choose a meaningful name for Monarch's school. We are excited about Nelson Mandela Academy and their excellent work with our young people."
Who attended
Special guests at the ceremony included Yaacov Delaney, director of Illinois' Justice, Equity, and Opportunity Initiative; State Sen. Sally Turner, R-Lincoln; and Anne Dawdy, representing the office of State Rep. Will Hauter, R-Morton. David Green, a school district #428 board of education member, also attended.
District officials present included Superintendent Dr. Tresa Dunbar, Assistant Superintendent Dr. Kimberly Kimbrough, Special Education Director Melissa Cory and CTE Director Noah Boudreau. IDJJ Director Robert Vickery and Chief of Staff Marna Satlak also attended, along with the center's facility superintendent, Tyrie Fluker.
The event included remarks from faculty members Emilie Young, Jacob Albert and Cete Brewton-Wilkin, along with thoughts from a recent graduate.
About the center
The Monarch Youth Center opened last fall and is designed to be rehabilitative and therapeutic. It serves up to 30 young men in secure custody of the department, providing high school education, career and technical training, behavioral and mental health services, and recreation.
The Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice was created by statute in 2006 to safely house and rehabilitate youth committed to its custody.
Source: the original release