Urb Ed Final Year Report

2018-19 School Year Report // The students reforming urban education non-profit

STUDENTS.
ADVOCATES.
REFORMERS.

UrbEd is one of the only student-led, studentrun
non-profit organizations in the country
that continues to fight tirelessly for students
that enter our most underfunded and underresourced
schools.
This year, UrbEd engaged over 500, held
our first student-driven event, tripled our
operating budget, and partnered with a host
of organizations to fulfill our vision of every
student receiving a quality and efficient urban
education. However, none of that could
have happened without our dedicated team
members who are all volunteers, our board
of directors, and our donors who continue to
support us in this everlasting work.
The African proverb says, “It takes a village
to raise a child.” We hope that UrbEd can
continue to be apart of the village that raises
the students in the city of Brotherly Love and
Sisterly Affection. But, in order to do that, we
need your continued support. We’re asking
for your donation and/or sponsorship so
we can fund our programs and stipend our
team members for a fraction of their time
commitment.
If now isn’t a good time to financially support
UrbEd, subscribe to our newsletter and follow
us on social media to stay up-to-date on
the work that we are doing. You can be an
influencer in sharing our message to reach
every Philadelphian. You’re an essential part of
the equation for every student in our schools
to be offered a quality and efficient education
regardless of what they look like and where
they are from. Remember, it takes a village!
Tamir D. Harper
Co-Founder & Executive Director
Luke Risher
Co-Founder & Programs Director
Juwan Z. Bennett
Founding Board Chairman

Student advocates for a quality &
efficient urban education. We know
reforming public schools today will lead
to a more just future.
UrbEd is a student-led, student-oriented
organization that advocates for a quality and
efficient urban education. We engage students
in creating change by providing them with
information, connecting with them in creative
ways, empowering students to be reformers,
and uplifting student voices.
It all started with one, single idea. UrbEd was
founded by a group of Philadelphia public
school students led by Tamir Harper and
Luke Risher in 2016. As students in the city of
Philadelphia, they witnessed and were affected
by the inequalities that plagued schools. Those
experiences and a lack of student voice in
conversations motivated them to become
reformers of urban education in Philadelphia.
We envision students being reformers and
disruptors of a system that continues to fail
to provide a quality and efficient education. A
quality education means that every student
in the public education system receives the
skills and knowledge needed to flourish in their
professional and personal lives. We seek to
build a student movement that works together
to reform urban education.

UrbEd engaged 300+
philadelphia high school
students at our kick-off event.
UrbEd trained over 30 new
school police officers in
Philadelphia Public Schools.
UrbEd brought together a plethora of
organizations, over 300 students, and artists
from across the city into one event highlighting
student voice and the need for change in
our schools. Attendees were provided great
entertainment from poetry to hip-hop music,
food, and opportunities to get resource from
organizations that serve young Philadelphians.
This event which was one of the first of its kind
in Philadelphia. UrbEd saw a large increase in
engagement indirectly with students, on social
media channels, with other organizations, and
in the impact of our voice.
UrbEd provided the first ever youth-led training
to the School District of Philadelphia’s (SDP)
new police officers. The training was led
by two of our Philadelphia team members
and provided SDP officers with new tactics
to address and relate to students and an
understanding of how students perceive police
officers in schools.

UrbEd presented to over
20 educators from across
the country at EduCon
conference.
UrbEd selected the School
District of Philadelphia
student board members.
For the past two years, UrbEd has presented
at the national education conference in
Philadelphia called EduCon. EduCon is a
conference that brings educators with a host of
experience to learn and grow with one another.
This year two high school members of our
team presented a session titled, “The Future
of Education: A Students Perspective,” which
focused on addressing the misconceptions
teachers and students see in the classroom.
UrbEd is a proud member of the selection
committee for Philadelphia’s School Board
Student Representative because we believe
in no decision about the youth, without
the youth. In 2018, the School District of
Philadelphia returned to local control after
over a decade of being state ran. UrbEd was
the only student-led, student-run organization
advocating for the disbandment of the School
Reform Commission (SRC). Once the SRC
was removed and the City of Philadelphia
took control of the board, it was important
to have student voices at the school board
table. UrbEd was one of very few organizations
in Philadelphia to be invited to make the
requirements and interview student members of
the new school board.
Horace Ryans, a Junior at
Science Leadership Academy
in Philadelphia, is UrbEd’s city
director. Since joining UrbEd two
years ago, Horace has found his
passion and love for education,
which has inspired him to work
toward becoming an educator.

UrbEd accomplishabled additional, noteable
advocacy & developed national partnerships
Advocated to stop adding metal detectors in all high schools
Presented at the Black Males Educator National Convening
Launched a group of students as UE advocates (ambassadors)
Hosted State of Education Roundtable with Student Voice Inc.
Became a coalition member to end city tax abatements
Partnered on an award-winning documentary film screening
Designed advocacy-based clothing line

urbedadvocates.org
info@urbedadvocatees.org
@urbedadvocates
In loving memory of former Board Treasurer Dante Austin.