7 | durhamregion.com This Week | Thursday, March 24, 2022 region.com cepted -- to several universities. She will be heading to York University in the fall to study psychology. "I'm blown away because university was never something we had discussed. I'm in awe, I'm proud of her," her mom says. The Ministry of Education launched the Graduation Coach Program for Black Students as a pilot in 2019. Since then, about 1,000 students in Ontario have benefited from it. The DDSB has received four years of funding for the program; it is being offered at Pine Ridge Secondary School in Pickering this year, and is expected to expand to other high schools in the coming years. Why a graduation coach for Black students? An analysis of data from the DDSB's first student census conducted in 2019 looked at academic outcomes for several identities, including a comparison of white, Black and South Asian students. Ninety-five per cent of DDSB students who identify as South Asian graduated from high school in four years compared with 89 per cent of white students and 85 per cent of Black students. The analysis also showed that Black students had higher proportions of suspensions compared to their representation in the student census. The data is not unique to the DDSB. School boards across Ontario report similar findings. "Our current system imposes barriers on our Black people that disproportionately and negatively impacts their student achievement," says DDSB superintendent Margaret Lazarus. "We know that Black students in our board, they're experiencing school differently." Trecia Browne is the new graduation coach at Pine Ridge, and she says a big part of her role is getting to know students and their families. "The aim is to build trusting relationships with our students, parents, guardians and also the school staff," says Browne. "We try to help build the self-confidence of these students through the relationship building." Francis can attest to that. Since her daughter was introduced to Browne, she says, the coach's influence has been huge. "Having that person in your life who tells you 'you can do this' and is someone other than a parent is so important. All kids need that -- but our kids especially need that," says Francis, who credits encouragement and support from a high school teacher with helping her become the first university graduate in her family. The program also covers the cost of university applications for students. The province has announced an additional $566,000 for the graduation coach program for 2021-22 in addition to the $2.94 million already invested. For 2022-2023, the initiative will receive an additional $1.17 million. Education Minister Stephen Lecce says the program "has consistently grown and expanded every year, positively supporting Black students as they transition to post-secondary." At the DDSB, the graduation coach program is part of larger efforts to ensure equitable academic outcomes for Black students. Initiatives have included anti-Black racism training for teachers and other staff; efforts to hire more Black educators, vice-principals and principals; offering a free tutoring program for Black students; and BeMe, an eight-week online group to support the well-being of Black high school students. "Especially in this era, in this time when there is such a focus on anti-Black racism and dismantling the barriers that are in place ... we really want to ensure that we are supporting our Black students and our families to ensure that we have equitable outcomes for all of our students," Lazarus says. The Durham Catholic District School Board also introduced two coach/advocate positions for Black students this year, with a focus on improving student well-being and success. The board has not received provincial funding, but designated funds in its 2021-22 budget. "This role was established as part of DCDSB's commitment to recognizing and dismantling anti-Black racism and systemic barriers," a statement from Durham Catholic notes. STORY BEHIND THE STORY: Education reporter Jillian Follert has been following equity initiatives in Durham schools for many years, including reporting on data that shows disproportionate academic outcomes for Black students and Indigenous students -- and the ways school boards are responding. NEWS 'THE AIM IS TO BUILD TRUSTING RELATIONSHIPS' Continued from front Trecia Browne, graduation coach at Pine Ridge Secondary School. Susie Kockerscheidt/Metroland "Especially in this era, in this time when there is such a focus on anti-Black racism and dismantling the barriers that are in place ... we really want to ensure that we are supporting our Black students and our families to ensure that we have equitable outcomes for all of our students." - DDSB superintendent Margaret Lazarus