Afrocentric Summer School in Brampton redefines learning, pride, and legacy

The launch of Brampton’s first Afrocentric Summer School marked a powerful step toward: academic enrichment, cultural pride, and collective empowerment. Hosted at Fletcher’s Meadow Secondary School in northern Brampton, the program was spearheaded by Janice Lewis, a veteran Peel District School Board (PDSB) educator and principal of The Woodlands Secondary School in Mississauga. With support from the Center of Black Excellence, the PDSB Equity Department, and the Network of Black Studies Educators (NBSE), this groundbreaking initiative created a space where African, Afro-Caribbean, and Black students could thrive.

The program’s vision was clear: improve academic achievement while fostering identity, community, and belonging through an Afrocentric learning environment. Its foundation rested on the Ethics of Care Framework; part of the Black Student Success Strategy launched by PDSB in 2021. At its core were three guiding principles:

• Knowledge: Honour diverse ways of knowing.
• Unity: Recognize the interdependence of individuals, groups, spirit, and nature.
• Love: Build a caring, empathetic community where students feel seen and supported.

The Afrocentric Summer School set out to:

• Deliver rigorous, engaging instruction in English, History, and Math.
• Celebrate African and Caribbean: histories, cultures, values, and contributions.
• Center students’ cultural identities and lived experiences in the curriculum.
• Challenge stereotypes and counter Eurocentric distortions, particularly those tied to Black underachievement in math and education.

The curriculum reflected this vision. Students learned through experiential projects that linked culture and academics:

• Numbers & African Patterns: Students studied geometric designs in Kente cloth and beadwork, then created original patterns using symmetry, fractions, and algebra.
• Influential Black Canadians Gallery Walk: Students researched and presented the lives and legacies of trailblazing Black Canadians, connecting history to modern identity.
• Social Justice Speeches: Students analyzed historic speeches by movement leaders, then wrote and delivered their own, calling for change on issues affecting the Black community

When asked how an Afrocentric curriculum could support their growth, students responded with honesty and hope.

One young man reflected, “The smaller classes give me more chances to work with others and learn new perspectives. That will help me grow into a better man and student.”

Another added, “It can help me develop better habits and new ways to learn. I’ll carry those skills into the next year to keep improving.”

A third declared, “An Afrocentric curriculum would help me feel proud of my culture and history. It would motivate me.”

These testimonials underscored the program’s impact: students felt seen, valued, and motivated to succeed.

The success of Brampton’s first Afrocentric Summer School is an academic milestone. It represents a renewed vision for education, one where Black students are empowered through: knowledge, identity, and community. It stands as a blueprint for future initiatives, blending rigorous instruction with cultural pride and purpose.

In a system often criticized for marginalizing Black students, this program charted a new course, one grounded in unity, resilience, and excellence. As the first of its kind in Brampton, it leaves behind not just memories, but a legacy of possibility.

For more on PDSB programs and services, visit www.pdsb.on.ca