Back to School, Fall 2014 News: Crisp White Shirts, Teacher of the Year, and WKYC's Russ Mitchell

Seniors rejoice after winning the competition between grades to decide who best recites the creed

Exciting days! The school year has begun and Ginn Academy is now in full swing with so many great things going on. For example, take a look at this article about the Academy that was in the Washington Post on October 2nd.

Between classes, students walk in lines, always to the right

At the class of 2014 graduation ceremony, the inaugural Teacher of the Year Award was presented to Mr. Albert Coreno. The award was made possible by The Ratner Family Foundation in honor of Audrey Ratner and her lifelong dedication to education.

Mr. Coreno's children and wife, Karen, Mr. Coreno, Audrey Ratner, and Principal Nick Petty

Mr. Coreno was completely surprised when his name was called. His family had been secretly made aware of this honor and was in attendance to share in the joy.

Students meet every day after school in Mr Coreno's classroom. He provides math tutoring and enrichment for them.

Newspaper stories about The Ginn Academy fill Mr. Coreno's bulletin board

A few months later, and school is back in session with 350 students, the largest enrollment thus far since the Academy's inception in 2007.

On October 2nd, WKYC Channel 3 news anchor, Russ Mitchell, visited the school with his camera crew and producer to interview Coach Ginn for his 7 Minutes series. The program was held in the gym during the daily morning session so that the students could serve as audience and backdrop to the interview. Mr. Mitchell kindly entertained questions from the students and, no doubt, piqued their interest in journalism careers. You can find the interview on WKYC's website here.

WKYC news anchor, Russ Mitchell, interviewed Mr. Ginn for his 7 Minutes series

Russ Mitchell talks with the entire student body, answering questions and sharing his thoughts and anecdotes

The Ginn Academy is enjoying many interesting collaborations these days. We recently learned that one of the Cleveland Foundation's Creative Fusion artists, photographer Dale Yudelman from South Africa, will be working with a group of Ginn Academy students on a street photography project. Dale is a tremendously talented photojournalist who has worked all over the world and we couldn't be more excited about this opportunity. The boys' work and Dale's will be exhibited at Waterloo Arts on November 7th, and we'll certainly post some of their work in our next update here.

Photographer Dale Yudelman, Ted Ginn Sr., and Amy Callahan of Waterloo Arts

In Ms. Herman's 10th grade biology class last week, the boys were making terrariums. They learned about the closed system, gathered their materials, including moss scraped from the vivarium floor, and went to work together.

Sophomores in Ms. Herman's biology class preparing their terrariums together

Last spring, the winners of the first Ginn Academy Shakespeare Competition were featured in this blog post, but the winner, Donte Levert, was not present that day. Here he is and he's ready to win again this year!

Donte Levert, Sophomore, winner of last spring's Shakespeare Competition

In closing, we'll include some photos from around the school that illustrate the scholarship, leadership, service, and joy that our students radiate. We are so proud of each and every one of them.

Thank you for your continued interest in our school!

Kindest regards from everyone at Ginn Academy.

The Ginn Academy Alumni Association Commences

The Cleveland Mentors organization has helped us put together a platform to begin our alumni mentoring program to connect all of our Ginn family so that they can help each other. 2011 graduate, Nick Davis, has taken the lead on creating the organization. Please sign up on the new website right here.

Coach Ginn has long wanted to see graduates of Ginn Academy return to help him guide the next generation. "Mentoring to me is an everyday job," says Coach Ginn. The program will begin with current seniors each being assigned a Ginn graduate as a mentor. Eventually it will be expanded to the younger classes.

No matter where you live or go to school, any graduate of Ginn Academy can be a mentor. That's because mentors and mentees will communicate mainly via regular emails. Ginn Academy is partnering with the Cleveland Mentors organization, which matches up mentors and mentees on a software platform and facilitates an emailed conversation between the two parties twice a month. Again the website is www.GinnAlumni.com.

Glenville Tarblooders Act as Stand-Ins for the Cleveland Browns

Just before the Browns opened their season this year, they asked the Glenville Tarblooders football team to help them to test out their brand-new huge video screens at First Energy Stadium. The Browns organization, like every other NFL team, may face scrutiny from sports fans on a daily basis for their plays on the field, but they are absolutely beyond reproach when it comes to contributing to their community.

Though they certainly could've come up with an easier plan, the Browns transported 100 kids and a handful of coaches across the city to the stadium one Thursday evening and let them take over the field and pretend that they were an NFL team.

The boys got to fill the tunnels and run through the smoke onto the field, fists pumping, jumping three feet into the air. Pure joy for these energetic teenagers! Names of Browns players were announced to the huge echoing stadium as each one took his turn. Smiles and laughter everywhere.

Ever grateful for the Browns organization's generosity and kindness, we will remember this night for a long time. The boys and the adults had such fun! And if you haven't yet been to First Energy Stadium for a Browns game, you must see the new video screens! They're a gorgeous addition to the facility.

Go Browns, go 'Ville, and go Ginn Academy Dolphins!

Class of 2014: Senior Honor Day and Graduation

The Ginn Academy Class of 2014 is proud to announce its graduation and entrance into the real world!

Thirty-nine courageous, dedicated young men graduated on June 1st in downtown Cleveland. Each and every one of them has plans to to attend a 2- or 4-year college, enter the workforce, or to serve in the United States military.

As a whole, this senior class performed more than 4,000 hours of community service. They were awarded a total of $2.7 million in scholarships, with sixteen of the young men earning full scholarships. Ninety-five percent of our seniors graduated this year. Yes, 95%. We're so proud of these young men!

Cleveland Browns safety and Glenville alumnus, Donte Whitner, was our speaker. He not only had everyone in tears with his heartfelt speech titled, "Possibilities are Endless," but also presented a gift of $50,000 to the Ginn Foundation to be used by Ginn Academy. Donte's generosity was the talk of the town that night and we are so grateful to have him back home with us. 

Browns safety and Cleveland native, Donte Whitner, with Valedictorian, Zaid Hightower, and Salutatorian, Erik Simpson

Quan Robinson, Jr., now at Kent State University, led the group in the turning of the tassels

Davon Anderson, soon to be a track star at The Ohio State University, was surrounded by his four grandmothers at graduation. See the preschool photo held by one of them?

Coach Ginn with a few members of the Ginn Academy Class of 2014

A few days before graduation, Ginn Academy traditionally holds Senior Honor Day. Family and friends are welcome and lots of love flows, along with the cake, ice cream, and punch.

Our Freshman greeters

Math teacher, Rhonda MacLean, with the math award winners

College Now's Colleen Damerell with College Now Scholarship winner Zaid Hightower

Hazel Parker with the Dr. and Mrs. William C. Parker "Thinking Stone" Award winner, JaBrae Clarit

TeWayne McGee, winner of the Ted Ginn Jr. "Winning Against All Odds" Award, with Mrs. Jeanette Ginn

TeWayne was extremely happy to get the Ted Ginn Jr. award!

Dominique Okafor greeted by his mother after receiving the Laura and Edmond Leopold "Never Give Up" Award

Cyeve Ford and Frank Stretar with the "Leader Within" Award

Principal Nick Petty and his parents present the Julia Weekly-Jones and Millie Ann Petty Award to LaVaughn Young

Winners of the Ted Ginn, Sr. Award, Atony Henderson and Adam Lett

Class president Quan Robinson leads the Ginn Academy Class of 2014 in the school creed

Cleveland City Councilman, Michael Polensek, with Don'Ja Glass

And now, we proudly present the Ginn Academy Class of 2014:

Anderson, Davon -- The Ohio State University
Ash, Artrell -- College of DuPage
Beavers, Kevin -- University of Texas at Arlington
Claritt, Jabrae -- LaRoche College
Davis, Carltez -- University of Akron
Fields, Demik -- Hiram College
Ford, Cyeve -- Shawnee State University
Gaddis, Reuben -- Work Force
Ginyard, Ralphael -- Marine Corps
Glass, Don’ja -- Cleveland State University
Goss, Terrell -- College of DuPage
Henderson, Antony -- Marietta College
Henderson, Demarco -- Shawnee State University
Hickman, Darrien -- ASA College Brooklyn, NY
Hightower, Zaid -- The Ohio State University
Hutchinson, Xavier -- Shawnee State University
Ivey, Jimond -- University of Akron
Ivory, Aaron -- University of Findlay
Jackson, Falonte -- ASA College Brooklyn, NY
Jackson, Robert -- University of Akron
Jones, Marcelys -- The Ohio State University
Lattimore, Marshon -- The Ohio State University
Lett, Adam -- ASA College Brooklyn, NY
Lewis, Darius -- Notre Dame College
McFowler, Darion -- Marine Corps
McGee, Tawayne -- Hocking College
Merritt, Devon -- Shawnee State University
Miles, Darryl -- Shawnee State University
Okafor, Dominique -- Cuyahoga Community College
Redding, Devine -- University of Indiana
Reese, Lear -- ASA College Brooklyn, NY
Richardson, Terrell -- Vermilion Community College
Robinson, Quan -- Kent State University
Simpson, Erik -- Kent State University
Smith, Erick -- The Ohio State University
Smith, Herbert -- Shawnee State University
Spencer, Christian -- ASA College Brooklyn, NY
Williams, Gary -- Lakeland Community College
Young, LaVaughn -- University of Iowa

We wish these young men the best that life has to offer. They'll be in our hearts always.

With kindest regards...