AASA Urban Superintendents Academy leaders and alumni gathered for a black-tie affair Wednesday night at the Hilton Riverside New Orleans to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the program.

In a ballroom festooned in purple, green and yellow Mardi Gras colors, the event, titled “A Decade of Impact: Urban Leadership Jubilee,” commemorated the decade-old academy, which is held in partnership with its higher education collaborators Howard University in Washington, D.C., and University of Southern California’s Rossier School of Education in Los Angeles, Calif.

Both deans of the prestigious university partners were present: Pedro Noguera, the Emery Stoops and Joyce King Stoops dean at the USC Rossier School of Education, and Dawn Williams, dean of the Howard University School of Education. The yearlong program was created in response to a critical need to support and train educators to lead urban school districts, said Maria Ott, a professor at USC-Rossier who helped create the program.

“Urban districts face unique challenges that do require both visionary and equity driven leadership, yet the pathways to the superintendencies often lack the mentorship, preparation and real-world guidance that leaders in these complex environments need to thrive,” Ott told the crowd. “It was out of this need that the Urban Superintendents Academy was born.”

The event served as a reunion of past graduates, about 200 of whom were expected to be on hand. They posed for pictures in front of a large Mardi Gras balloon display and mingled with old friends and colleagues.

Christine Fowler-Mack was among the very first cohort of graduates 10 years ago. She would eventually serve as superintendent in Akron, Ohio, from 2021 to 2024.

For her, the closeknit network she made with her fellow classmates and others who were part of the program were just as valuable as the classroom learnings. Even now, she’s part of an active text thread with her former classmates in which they share their wins and challenges.

“Once you’re sitting in the seat [as a superintendent], it’s an eye opener,” she said. “I found myself going back to the notes from those sessions, reaching out to persons who facilitated certain topics, to say, ‘Can I just pick your brain? Here's where I am.’ And I found that even years later, I could introduce myself, and right away their answer was, ‘How can I help you?’”

Bernetta Jones, former regional superintendent at Dekalb County School District in Stone Mountain, Ga., took part in the fifth cohort. “The relationships that were formed were long-lasting,” she said. 

The special event featured lively music, dinner and an inspiring awards ceremony honoring three outstanding leaders who have demonstrated a deep commitment to student equity and inclusivity, making a lasting impact on their districts and communities.

All awardees are graduates of the AASA Urban Superintendents Academy.

• Collective Impact Award, being given to Traci Davis, former superintendent of Washoe County School District, Reno, Nev. This award recognizes a leader who drove transformative change through collaboration and meaningful partnerships in urban education.
• Dr. Joe Hairston Award, being given to Nyah Hamlett, superintendent of Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools in Chapel Hill, N.C. This award honors a current superintendent who exemplifies visionary leadership, inclusivity, innovation and mentorship.
• Emerging Leader Award, being given to Nadia Bennett, founder and CEO of When Brown Girls Lead. This award celebrates a rising leader who shows exceptional promise, innovation and dedication to educational equity early in their career.

The Jubilee’s corporate sponsors are Battelle for Kids, Audio Enhancement, Graduation Alliance, McKinstry, McGraw Hill and Curriculum Associates. 

(Sarah Lindenfeld Hall is a freelance writer in Raleigh, N.C., and a senior editor for Conference Daily Online.)