Ties of Excellence: Filling the Gap & Changing the Narrative
Learning how to properly tie a necktie is one the many rites of passage for a young man. It is a skill Gerald Harris, dean of students at Benjamin Banneker High School, learned from his father. Now, he’s paying it forward.
Harris says he got the idea for “Ties of Excellence” during graduation time in May. Banneker’s male students are required to wear neckties when they walk across the stage, but Harris noticed many of them didn’t have one for the ceremony. Luckily, through a collective effort, enough ties were gathered for each male graduate, but Harris knew that was only a short-term solution.
“I felt challenged,” said Harris. “I felt charged. We have to fill in the gap. Supplying a young man with a tie is a mode of transition from a boy to a true man.”
After Banneker’s graduation, Harris set out to collect at least 500 neckties by September 1st. Once he put out the word to his colleagues, Banneker’s alumni, and community stakeholders, Harris received more support than he anticipated. The initiative has stockpiled over 1,000 ties, enough for every male student at Banneker. Harris and his supporters also teach them how to wear neckties properly and what it represents.
“Our kids have a skill set that’s going to help them as they prepare for those post-secondary endeavors,” Harris explained. “Our kids are going to be the next businessmen to take leadership in our community, and it’s all because we encouraged them and gave them a glimpse of hope and something as simple as a tangible resource that they can have for the rest of their lives.”
Banneker Principal Vincent Golden says he realized the program’s potential when Harris approached him with the idea. Since then, Golden has supported its mission in multiple ways, in hopes of seeing “Ties of Excellence” grow.
“I thought it was an excellent idea, especially coming from a background of working with kids who have challenges and hardships,” Golden revealed. “I felt like it just hit the nail on the head,” he said.
Golden has seen the program’s impact first-hand. He’s noticed how a necktie, a deceptively simple fashion accessory, can be a catalyst for boosting confidence and strengthening student-teacher bonds in positive ways.
“Just to be able to tie that tie and have that conversation with that young man while that tie is being tied, that in itself builds a great relationship between you and that student,” Golden said. “Once a student’s confidence is built then that spills over into improving their academics. That spills over into improving their discipline. That spills over into improving their socio-emotional status,” he added.
Principal Golden and Harris are considering ways to expand “Ties of Excellence” beyond Banneker’s borders. They plan to funnel extra necktie donations to middle schools whose students may end up at the high school. Harris says it is about breaking a cycle of limited access and changing the narrative about the young men who attend Banneker High School.
“Allow me to prove you wrong by empowering our students to do something great,” Harris proclaimed. “I’m going to show you all that we have a village of people who actually care about Banneker High School.”