Jamaican-born 46 year old Denniston Reid, who spent his early childhood in Jamaica, is dedicated to improve educational opportunities for underprivileged students and it is easy to tell that this is his passion.
At first he wanted to become an attorney but when he discovered that most of kids in a juvenile facility where he was teaching, were not able to read, that changed his career. He decided to pursue the field of education, hoping to make a difference to not only kids in the prison system but other underprivileged students in New York city, who had limited access to the right resources.
Reid holds a masters’ degree from Teachers College at Columbia University in New York, and is currently pursuing his PhD at Penn University in the state of Pennsylvania.
In June, the University of Colgate graduate, who received the University’s Alumni Corporation 2018 Humanitarian Award for his years of service working with underprivileged youths, was elected to the university’s board of trustees. The citation read
“Denniston Reid has dedicated his life to improving educational opportunities for underserved students. As a teacher, administrator, visionary and innovator he has spent his life, since leaving Colgate, helping young people to recognise and achieve their potential”
Reid and his wife, Charlene, the CEO and founder of ECS, a charter school management organization, continues to give back to his community. Their work was featured on the University of Colgate website Bringing College Prep For Students of Color to Colgate.
Here is also an example of Reid’s organization success in shining the light of young people of colour.
Rise and Grind Bobcats! @BronxExcellence @BCSEParents @RobinRoberts @GMA Thank you for hosting our scholars! pic.twitter.com/qFBPgsNbFN
— Kristine Rivera (@kristinexcel) May 24, 2018
