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Years ago, when Chanel Hampton was leading a group of educators, they began each day with a question: “How are the children doing?”
It became a North Star, she said, guiding the team in its efforts to see all students succeed. They wanted to be able to say that all the children were doing well.
Hampton, whose background is in education, government, and organizational leadership, is bringing that same direction to a first-of-its-kind dual role in the Detroit city administration as the senior director of youth and the education liaison. Mayor Mary Sheffield formally announced Hampton’s appointment Thursday during a press conference, though she’s been in the role for about two weeks.
Hampton’s job, as well as the hiring of JerJuan Howard as the director of the new Office of Youth Affairs, reflects a new direction for Detroit, which is putting youth and education in the forefront as major priorities in the new administration.
“Today is really a step forward in how we show up for our young people in the city of Detroit,” Sheffield said Thursday. “If we want Detroit to rise higher, which we all do, we know that the next step is how we really invest in our young people and how we continue to improve education in our city.”
During the mayoral campaign, Sheffield often spoke of her desire to play a role in education in the city with a focus on working with the Detroit Public Schools Community District, the city’s many charter schools, and city agencies to reduce chronic absenteeism, improve transit coordination so students can reliably get to school, and expand after-school programs and enrichment opportunities at city recreation centers.
While the mayor has no control over city schools, Sheffield’s interest in addressing the societal problems that make it difficult for students to succeed is coming at a critical time. While schools have seen improvement in academic performance and chronic absenteeism, far too many children aren’t performing well and many are missing too much school.
Hampton will serve as a liaison between the mayor’s office and DPSCD, charter schools, out-of-school-time partners, and community organizations “to address some of the most persistent needs of students and their families,” according to a news release from the city. She will also lead the city’s work supporting people from 0 to 26 years old.
“Our young people will know that they are a focal priority in our city, and they will know they have a key role in leadership and ownership in our city, inside of school, outside of school,” Hampton said. “We will be able to say all the children in Detroit are well.”
DPSCD Superintendent Nikolai Vitti echoed other speakers when he said Detroit children are talented, but lack opportunities. Gaps in opportunities can only be addressed by working together, being collaborative, problem solving, and sharing resources.
“And that’s why today is so special, because we have a mayor that understands that,” Vitti said. “It takes … putting egos aside and focusing on what’s best for children, regardless of what organization or institution or resources are coming from.”
He and Ralph Bland, the CEO of the Detroit charter school network New Paradigm for Education, agreed that this kind of coordination means setting aside egos and working on common goals, even if they are competitors.
“We need to move from isolated to coordinated to intent to implement, said Ralph Bland, CEO of the Detroit charter school network New Paradigm for Education. “This is serious.”
Sheffield said JerJuan Howard, the director of the new Office of Youth Affairs, will oversee an effort to “ensure that youth voices are not an afterthought, but a part of how we develop our policy, allocate our resources, and measure success across city government.”
Howard, a youth leader and founder of the Umoja Debate League, said the new position is timely and necessary.
“It’s important for youth to come with us and for changes not to happen to our youth, but to happen with our youth. They should become the engineers of their own reality and what their city looks like moving forward. They must have a seat at the table, and this appointment reflects that commitment by the mayor.”
Lori Higgins is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Detroit. You can reach her at lhiggins@chalkbeat.org.
