Career Day Caters To Specific Audience At North Philadelphia Elementary School

By Mike Dougherty

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- To celebrate the 100th day of school, administrators at the Frederick Douglass Mastery Charter Elementary School invited more than 100 men of color to speak with students about what it takes to be successful.

For little boys, the dream success is usually involves glory on the gridiron or a platinum selling album.

Evan Smith works in finance for Comcast and says it's important to show them other ways make it in life.

"The idea was to fill the school with as many black, adult male role models as possible to give these kids examples of successful black adults."

Assistant principal Jinnely Davidson says the majority of students are African-American boys, but the faculty is mostly women or men who are not black.

"I think it's really great because we're bringing in people that can identify with our students and can really give them the tools to navigate through the world today."

Nine-year-old DeShawn says he will remember the important stuff.

"Helping people and doing good in class."

In:
• Community
• Education
• Philadelphia