CUSD Student Empowerment Conference Helps 250 Scholars Elevate Their Voices

250 CUSD High School students attended the academic achievement and student empowerment conference titled “Elevate Your Voice – Don’t Stop Dreaming!” Hosted in partnership with Cal State, Long Beach TRIO programs, the conference’s mission was to improve the academic achievement, life prospects, and future employment outcomes for students by ensuring that they are college and career ready.

Scholars from Centennial, Compton, Compton Early College, and Dominguez High Schools spent the day attending an informative keynote panel discussion and interesting breakout sessions, listening to reps from companies such as Nike/Jordan, LA Galaxy, Intuit, Netflix, CAA, ARRAY, LA Times, Roc Nation, Microsoft, Fly Compton, Participant Media, and others talking about building a brand, networking, relationships, financial stability, enrolling in colleges, and much more.

CUSD Superintendent Dr. Darin Brawley, Shawn Finnie, LA Galaxy CRO Uriel Martinez, Kalan.FRFR, and CUSD Board President Denzell Perry.

“This is a student empowerment conference where we focus on helping scholars elevate their voice,” explained JaMaiia M. Bond, CUSD Senior Director, Division of Child Welfare Attendance, Athletics and Special Programs. “Some of the breakout sessions included Navigating College, Knowing Your Brand, Goal Setting, and more. This was a wonderful opportunity for the scholars to network, tour the campus, and learn more about how to get to college.”

Denzell Perry, CUSD Board President, reiterated one of the main goals of the district: “One of the things that Compton Unified has been committed to is ensuring our scholars are set up for the future and this conference is a part of that,” he said. “It’s gaining those skills, meeting industry leaders from across many sectors such as Microsoft, Roc Nation, Google, and Jordan, learning about how they elevate their voice in their day-to-day work, and encouraging our students to speak boldly as they come from Compton.”

CUSD Board Member Satra Zurita, CUSD Board President Denzell Perry, Kalan.FRFR,  LA Galaxy CRO Uriel Martinez, Shawn Finnie, and Dr. Darin Brawley, CUSD Superintendent

The dynamic keynote panel featured President Perry and Dr. Darin Brawley, CUSD Superintendent, moderating a group that included musician Kalan.FRFR, LA Galaxy CRO Uriel Martinez, and Shawn Finnie, former EVP, Member Relations & Awards at Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

CUSD Board Member Satra Zurita

“Opportunity, relationships, and mentoring. When you think about those who are successful in life, usually those three components have been a factor in their lives,” noted Dr. Brawley.

The panel discussed how those three factors were a part of their lives and helped guide them to where they are today. They also encouraged students to find their own voice and learn what sets them apart from others.

“The world is extremely competitive,” explained LA Galaxy’s Martinez. “So, any opportunity you have to stand out and make yourself unique, take advantage of it.”

“Whatever you put forward for your path to continue on, is what you’re going to get out of it,” explained Kalan.FRFR, a Dominguez graduate. “It starts with your voice.”

“In order to elevate your voice, you have to know your voice,” said Finnie. “So, I would say, spend time with your voice. Spend time understanding who you are.”

By the end of the day, students left with an individual educational plan and with tools to help them successfully enter the halls of academia or the labor market.