Benjamin E. Mays High School hosted its third annual Brotherhood and Sisterhood Summits, bringing together more than 100 community professionals to mentor students, according to a Mar. 16 announcement.
The summits aim to provide students with guidance on topics such as college preparation, mental health, relationships, and entrepreneurship. Each year, focus groups of students help select the subjects they want addressed during the events.
“This shows that our city cares,” said Mays High School Principal Ramon Garner. “When we’re able to reach out to individuals, and they stop their busy lives to come back and give back to our kids, it means that our city cares and our city is locked in to keep the legacy of Atlanta and Mays High School going.”
APS Superintendent Dr. Bryan Johnson served as guest speaker for the Brotherhood Summit, while Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis spoke at the Sisterhood Summit. “This opportunity is really unique,” Dr. Johnson said. “There aren’t many schools that take the time to put together a day such as this. There aren’t many schools that have a school community, or as Dr. Alonzo Crim — the first Black male superintendent of APS — said, that have a community of believers that are willing to pour into you.”
Both summits included a “Link and Learn” speed networking session where students met with entrepreneurs, attorneys, financial advisors, flight attendants, barbers, and other professionals. Mays assistant principal LaToya Howard said: “The girls loved how interactive their sessions were… They enjoyed the speed networking room because they liked connecting with the ladies and learning about different careers.” She added: “[The boys] noticed and appreciated the difference between the Link + Learn and the Trade Career Showcase… They also enjoyed the other sessions that let them have real talk about what they’re going through as young men.”
The mentorship summits began after a gun violence incident at Mays in 2024. Administrators created these events to strengthen support systems for students and encourage them toward their goals. “We were determined not to allow that [incident] to be the narrative of our school,” Garner said. “We have amazing students that are here, so we started talking to our young men [and women] about some of the things that they wanted to learn more about that may be non-traditional or outside of the classroom.”
