Reuben McDaniel Elected as Chair of Atlanta Board of Education

The Atlanta Board of Education has voted to elect Reuben McDaniel as its new Board chair.  McDaniel replaces Brenda Muhammad who was elected after the resignation of former member Khaatim Sherrer El.

Byron Amos, elected to the Board of Education at the end of 2011, was elected Vice-Chair.

Muhammad was nominated for both offices and defeated each time by a 5-4 vote.

About Reuben McDaniel:  In May 1999, McDaniel was named president/CEO of Jackson Securities, LLC an Atlanta-based investment banking firm. With more than 25 years of investment banking experience in finance management, capital markets and municipal finance, McDaniel relies on his proven financial insights, exceptional talents in building relationships, strong analytical background and consummate corporate management skills.

Selected as one of Black Enterprises’ “75 Most Powerful Blacks on Wall Street,” McDaniel was responsible for transforming the firm from a regional public finance boutique into a national institutional investment bank. Under his leadership, Jackson Securities has sustained double-digit revenue growth and diversified revenue streams by establishing a Corporate Finance Group, Wealth Management Group and an Institutional Sales & Trading Group.

McDaniel’s commitment to the children of Atlanta is evident through his work with Atlanta Public Schools, where he served as a community advisor on the Audit Committee as well Education Committee member for the Metro Atlanta Chamber. In addition, he was the recipient of the 2009 Whitney M. Young, Jr. Service Award, an award created by The Boy Scouts of America to recognize outstanding services by an individual or organization for demonstrated involvement in the development and implementation of scouting opportunities for youth from rural or low-income urban backgrounds. This award is given for “unselfish service to the youth of America.”

The father of one and the son of an educator, McDaniel takes pride in giving back to the community.  In addition to the previously mentioned accolades.  At the time of his election, McDaniel served with the following organizations:

Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education (GPEE), Treasurer
Atlanta Education Fund (ATLEF), Treasurer
Southern Education Foundation, Inc. (SEF), Board Member
W.E.B. Du Bois Society, Board Member
Atlanta Area Boy Scouts of America, Executive Board Member and Area Chairman
True Colors Theatre Company, Board of Trustees
Good Government Atlanta, Board Member
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Vestry
Morris Brandon School Councils, Past President
Morris Brandon Watchdog Dad, Committee Member
Maynard Jackson Youth Foundation, Board Member

McDaniel earned a B.A. in economics and math from the University of North Carolina-Charlotte in 1984 and a Master of Business Administration in Finance from the University of Texas in 1988.

About Byron Amos:  Byron D. Amos, the CEO of Capacity Builders, Inc. is a native Atlantan who has been involved in community organizing for over 20 years and has established deep-roots in the Atlanta community. As a dedicated father, community leader and resident of Vine City, he has demonstrated a passionate commitment to service that comes from a desire to see the residents of his community grow and prosper.

Byron has served as the Chairperson of Neighborhood Planning Unit L and as President of the Vine City Civic Association, Inc. In these positions he served the interests of the community with a deep sense of commitment, dignity, integrity, and dedication over the past several years. As a result of his stewardship, Byron has received many honors and awards, including being recognized as a WATL 36 Unsung Hero as well as an Outstanding Atlantan. Both awards were a testament to his unwavering commitment to community service and leadership. He is also a graduate of the FBI Citizens Academy and the City of Atlanta Citizen Police and Fire Academy. Along with these awards and accomplishments, Byron has had the responsibility of addressing many difficult issues faced by his beloved community.

His record of service to the community includes: leading the community through the West Nile Virus Scare of 2001; the Vine City sewage overflow and flood of 2002; the investment of over $10 million on new housing in the Vine City area; the acquiring of over 2 million dollars in private and public grant dollars for the community; the increasing of public greenspace in the neighborhood; improved communications between the community, schools and businesses in the area and working with law enforcement to reduce overall crime in the area. Despite the numerous challenges of the northwest Atlanta community, Byron has had a tremendous record of success by building strong collaborations with local, state and federal official, educational institutions, businesses and the philanthropic community. Throughout all of his accomplishments and difficult times, he has always remained accessible to those who have asked him for help. “Building capacity in our neighborhoods is a must, for I believe that the only way to create true and sustainable change in our communities is to become the change you want to see in the world.”

In December 2011, Byron won a special election to fill an unexpired term for the Atlanta School Board Educational District 2 seat. As a member of the Atlanta Board of Education, he has pledged to be an advocate for parents, teachers and students. He will also be an advocate to a complete educational system that must include Math, Science, Literature, the Arts and the return of Vocational Education.

Byron is the son of Johnny Amos Sr., a retired United States Postal Service employee, and Marietta G. Amos, who retired after 23 years of service in the Atlanta Public Schools System. Byron is a product of the Atlanta Public Schools, attending M. M. Bethune Elem., J.F. Kennedy Middle, graduating from Booker T. Washington High School and going on to attend Howard University and Clark Atlanta University. Byron Amos is the proud father of three daughters, one son and is married to Ms. Aisha Carter. He is a member of Beulah Baptist Church, in Vine City, where he is a faithful servant on the Trustee Board.

Learn more about the Atlanta Board of Education HERE.

Twenty-Four APS students awarded Posse Foundation Scholarships

Photo Credit: M. Jackson High School Staff

Congratulations to our twenty-four Atlanta Public Schools’ students who have been awarded 2012 Posse Foundation Scholarships.

The Posse Foundation identifies public high school students with extraordinary academic and leadership potential that may be overlooked by the traditional college selection processes. Posse extends to these students the opportunity to pursue personal and academic excellence by placing them in supportive, multicultural teams—Posses—of 10 students.  Every Posse Scholar is awarded a four-year, full-tuition leadership scholarship to a prestigious college or university.

The Posse Foundation provides scholarships for students around the nation to attend one of  39 colleges and universities including Brandeis University, Boston University, Bard College, Vanderbilt University, Mount Holyoke College and The College of Wooster.  Posse also partners with graduate programs, which provide scholarships and other forms of financial assistance to Posse Alumni interested in earning advanced degrees at schools such as Northwestern University and Carnegie Mellon.

In 2010, The Posse Foundation became one of only 10 organizations selected by President Barack Obama to receive a portion of the president’s $1.4 million Nobel Peace Prize award money, which he elected to donate to charitable causes.

Posse has sites in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York and Washington, D.C.

Our 2012 APS Posse Scholars are:

BenjaminE. MaysHigh School

Elmer Moreno

Dominic Stegall

Booker T. Washington

Maya Knight

Brandon Richardson

Wade Ruff

Shaikeria Stallings

Carver School of Arts

Makalani Mack

Brandon McDonald

Tony Wright Jr.

CarverSchool of Health Sciences & Research

Gabrielle Burke

FrederickDouglass High School

Paris Jerome

Kesi Kmt

Henry W. Grady High School

Paige Banks

Eve Brown

Jacob Frieson-Grant

Quameiha Grandoit

Marius Jackson

Queen White

Jamil Williams

Maynard Jackson High School

Montanez Baugh

North AtlantaHigh School

Samantha Lunsford

Maximilian McGonigle

Roderick Malone

Tech High School

Shanteal Weldon

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Learn More about Posse Scholars

Know an amazing student? We want to know that student, too. If you are a high school or a community-based organization that works with high school juniors/seniors in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York or Washington, D.C., and you are officially registered with your local Posse office, then you can nominate your students as early as their second semester junior year, in high school. Note that for each Posse location/city, the nomination process may begin in the spring. Please make sure you contact your local Posse office for details at the beginning of every year.

Every year,* Posse works closely with its network of high schools and community-based organizations to recruit Posse Scholars. Each Posse Scholar wins a four-year, full-tuition scholarship to attend one of Posse’s partner colleges or universities.