Councilman Bryant partners with Mansfield teachers, seeks to develop civic leadership scholarship for students

Mansfield student and a learner in one of Mansfield Senior High school's new leadership and college and career courses, Imani Holmes, was one of 41 high-school students in attendance at a suicide awareness and prevention event that was held on Thursday at the Ohio State University-Mansfield Campus. 

Holmes, a senior this year, felt the event was beneficial to her and to her peers,

"Thanks to everyone who spoke today and to everyone who made it possible for us to go and get educated about such a touchy Subject," Holmes stated in a post on Facebook. 

Holmes and selected members of her class, will participate in a variety of projects this semester geared toward exposing students to civic education and leadership experiences and opportunities and developing awareness on a number of important local community issues. 

These new leadership classes were the idea of Mansfield Senior High School Principal, Dr. Jose Hernandez. 

Hernandez, now in his second year of his principalship at Mansfield Senior, says this will be a "hands-on class." 

"Students are going to find out what it means to be a leader," Hernandez stated. 

Thursday's field trip to the Ohio State campus, was a partnership formed early this year between Councilman Bryant and Mansfield teacher, Robert Watson.

"It was kind of an informal link that started by sharing the event information with Mr. Watson. We were just talking and I told him [Watson], that I was planning to take a mature student with me to the awareness event. That's when he suggested that I could get a few students from his classes to go with me," Bryant stated. 

The Councilman continued saying,

"Not only did we get a few students to join us; we actually ended up with over 40 students!" 

Councilman Bryant is in process of solidifying the partnership between the Office of Council At-Large and Leadership classes at Mansfield Senior. This is all part of an initiative from the Councilman's 2017 agenda, to utilize his office as a catalyst for future leadership development. 

"Equipping our youth with serious, potentially life-saving, real-world skills; is what needs to be done. I want to further support our teachers and try to enhance their resources, by helping match them with local and state-wide opportunities they can utilize to positively impact their educational programs," Bryant stated. 

The Councilman says he intends to work with teachers and other local officials to help develop a career, college & civic leadership scholarship, specifically for Mansfield Senior students for the 2017 year. He hopes to award two 2017 graduates with the scholarship, one female and one male graduate. 

"By 2018, I hope to make this a city-wide scholarship for which all Mansfield students can apply."

Schools in Mansfield include: Mansfield St. Peters, Mansfield Christian, Temple Christian and Mansfield Senior High.

On management of the scholarship, Bryant would like to see the City open and manage the account; but depending upon finance rules and regulations, he is open to allowing select school districts or a private foundation to manage the fund. 

"Listen, I'm not rich, but I know what needs to be done to help push our young people forward. If I can't find the necessary community partners to help sponsor this scholarship, then I'll fund it myself. It's time to get real serious about helping people. The success of these younger generations, is our success moving forward as a community and as a city. We're all in this together," Bryant stated. 

For more information on how to support development of the Mansfield Career, College & Civic Leadership Scholarship; contact Councilman Bryant via e-mail: db@donbryant.com or phone: 419-971-3662.