In 2012, Principal Rodney White opened the first all-male academy in Fort Worth, Texas: The Young Men’s Leadership Academy. He continues to serve as the school’s principal and has “no plans on leaving anytime soon.” White and his colleagues were awarded NCUST’s America’s Best Urban Schools Award in 2015 and 2018 for their exemplary work. The Young Men’s Leadership Academy (YMLA) serves approximately 400 students in grades 6 through 12, most of whom are Black or Hispanic and most meet low-income criteria. Nonetheless, YMLA students have outperformed state averages for all students on several state assessments and the school boasts remarkably high attendance rates and impressively low suspension rates.

Considering his students’ backgrounds, White explained that when the school opened, “no one thought we would stay open.” Today, he claims to be most proud of “showing what you can accomplish when you believe in your students.” White believes it’s most rewarding to see the joy in a parent’s face as their child crosses the stage at graduation and transitions into the next chapter of their life.

White’s professional practices have been influenced and shaped by the relentless work of his colleagues. He explained how the students are often “more eager to please the teachers than their own parents.” This can be credited to the academy’s value of strong interpersonal relationships and the fostering of a “family-type” community. White believes fostering a family atmosphere and community has led to the impressive academic results of their students. It’s important to build and maintain these relationships and celebrate successes often. White emphasized the significance of “not holding any grudges,” whether that’s between a student and a student, a student and a teacher, or any other relationship.