soaring: the Blog
The six Eagle Academy for Young Men public schools are often celebrated for the incredible and inspiring results the young men display socially, emotionally, and academically. Through their powerful and engaging work, young men across the Eagle network, past, and present, rave about the importance of the teachers they had during their pivotal middle and high school years. This Teacher Appreciation week, we want to give a huge thanks to the incredible educators that foster and educate the young men of the Eagle Academies daily.
“One of the greatest lessons I learned was from my Dean, Aaron Barnette, and one of my favorite teachers, Philip Magli,” Hector Bonilla said. “[Mr. Magli] passed away earlier this year. God rest his soul. He taught me to be grateful for the gift of life. We are in a unique position to breathe, and [they taught me] to always have a smile on my face and put my best foot forward. Every day I’m always being the kindest I can be to people because of what I learned from my former teacher Mr. Magli and Dean Aaron Barnette.”
During his time as an educator, hundreds of young men were influenced by Philip Magli, a star teacher at the Eagle Academy for Young Men of the Bronx. Without teachers such as Magli, who devote their time, energy, and resources to the young men, this work wouldn’t be possible.
Our hero educators have played a critical role in our network-wide 89% high school graduation rate versus the 59% national average for young men of color and helping 99% of our scholars to be accepted to college in 2021. Eagle Teachers guide our young men to realize their potential. The unique collaboration in our classrooms has led to an abundance of success stories. One is that of Brenton James, the 2014 Eagle Academy for Young Men of the Bronx valedictorian who went viral for being accepted to 21 colleges before ultimately deciding to attend the University of Pennsylvania, becoming the network’s first student to enroll in an Ivy League college. Eagle Academy educators’ impact on James helped pave the way for future Eagles to reach impressive heights.
We thank each of the Eagle Academy teachers for their hard work, heartfelt dedication, and steadfast support for the young men we serve. Happy Teachers’ Appreciation Week!
