February 20, 2025 • 35 mins
Our conversation celebrates the unique journey of Urban Prep that is designed to centralize the complex experiences of young, intelligent, Black and Brown men in Chicago. It features Urban Prep alumni discussing Urban Prep’s mission and how it is achieved through a culture centered on the 4 R’s (Respect, Responsibility, Rituals and Relationships), believing in yourself and brotherhood. The inaugural episode gets into the details of the following aspects of Urban Prep:
• The Mission of Urban Prep
• The Significance of Knowing Your CHI (Culture, History and Identity)
• The Urban Prep Ties - Symbols of Achievement
• Urban Prep Rituals (Community, Convocation and Commencement)
• The Role of SEL (Social Emotional Learning)
• The Four R’s - Respect, Responsibility, Rituals, and Relationships
• Urban Prep’s Alumni and Fellows Programs Impact
• The Importance of a College Going Culture
• The Impact of the Service Arc
Thank you for listening. To support or donate to Urban Prep, visit www.urbanprep.org. Follow us on Instagram @UrbanPrep100.
We Believe!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Mr. Ray (00:00):
What's up family.
This is Reggie Ray.
I'm your host here at thewhat's Up Podcast.
Here in Inglewood, chicago, weare Urban Prep.
I have two alumni I'm soexcited, fired up, we got two
alumni from Urban Prep that havecome back to give back to the
ARC students.
I have Mr Harris on one hand,mr Chapman over here also, so
(00:23):
we're going to be here today.
We're going to tell you how wedo it and show you where we came
from and where we are.
This is the what's Up Podcast.
MUSIC (00:29):
I am Reggie Ray, your host, and we believe Welcome to
the Urban Prep Academy's podcast, the what's Up Podcast.
We believe Investing in ourfuture.
We believe and making noexcuses.
We believe Showing in ourfuture.
We believe and making noexcuses.
(00:49):
We believe Show kindness andrespect.
We believe Believe in UrbanPrep.
And now the what's.
Mr. Ray (00:53):
Up Podcast.
Hello ladies and gentlemen outthere in the world.
We are Urban Prep.
I am your host here, Reggie Ray, at the what's Up Podcast.
I have two graduating young menwho've graduated from Urban
Prep, gone on through college,finished school and have come
back to give back and are doingtheir thing.
I have a Mr Harris and a MrChapman.
(01:13):
I am Reggie Ray here at thewhat's Up Podcast in Chicago,
Illinois, Englewood, Urban PrepAcademies and we are here to
tell you how we do it, becausewe do it organically.
Mr. Chapman (01:22):
There we go.
Mr. Ray (01:23):
Yep, what's up, fellas, how we doing today, doing great
brother, happy Tuesday.
Mr. Chapman (01:27):
Happy Tuesday, happy Wednesday.
Mr. Ray (01:28):
Tuesday, wednesday.
We here, it's Wednesday.
We here.
Baby, come on.
Days are blending in on you,huh, mr?
Mr. Chapman (01:33):
Chapman yes, sir, been going hard with the kids.
Yes, they were freshmen when Ifirst came in, so it's always
good to see that growth.
Mr. Ray (01:45):
Yes, sir, mr Chapman, tell us about what you do at
Urban Prep.
Mr. Chapman (01:49):
I'm the Dean of Students at the Bronzeville
campus, mr Harris.
Mr. Harris (01:53):
I'm the Social Emotional Learning Specialist.
We call it Pride Teacher atUrban Prep.
Mr. Ray (01:57):
Awesome, and I am the Civics Teacher here at Inglewood
.
Mr Harris, tell me more aboutwhat you do.
Mr. Harris (02:03):
So pretty much Social Emotional Learning is
definitely needed In our.
Would, mr Harris, tell me moreabout what you do?
So pretty much social emotionallearning, you know, is
definitely needed in ourcommunity with our black boys.
So pretty much my goal is tomold them and to help them along
the journey as far as beingyoung black men in the city of
Chicago.
Mr. Ray (02:17):
That's awesome.
That's awesome.
Going to what you do tell usabout it Me, dean of Students.
Mr. Chapman (02:22):
I started as a substitute teacher, urban prep,
moved up from a substituteteacher, paraprofessional, to a
private teacher what Mr Harrisdoes and to a dean of students
right now.
So make sure the studentscoming on time, make sure they
properly dress, make sure ayoung man knows respects and
accountability.
That's it.
That's it.
Mr. Ray (02:40):
So bringing that in, one of the things that we
instill in our kids is somethingwe call shy.
Now, that's our culture, ourhistory and our identity.
Go into it a little bit, MrChapman.
Tell me how that influenced youand brought you to the point
you are today, as a man For sure.
Mr. Chapman (02:57):
The culture at Urban Prep is one of a kind,
Like you said in the beginning.
It's very organic.
We've been doing social andemotional, before it became a
topic or a hot word that's usednow.
So through that social andemotional learning for sure.
We became better men.
I became a better athlete,became a better brother to my
(03:17):
classmates, and et cetera.
Mr. Ray (03:19):
I want you to hone in on the CHI, the CHI that we push
in community every morning.
Some of the things that we doin urban prep is not done
anywhere else.
Correct, you know what I mean?
Our whole rapture, what we do.
Let's start with our morning,right, we come in as a community
, literally a community.
We bring everybody together inthe school building.
(03:41):
So let's go into that.
Mr Harris, Tell me yourexperiences with that.
We're going to start off withthe shy culture, our history,
our identity.
Mr. Harris (03:49):
Well, just starting off with community is basically
its first period for all youngmen and ourselves as teachers.
We all link up in auditoriumand we do a lot of things.
That serves to get our daystarted as far as just like we
have activities, but we do a lotof specific things to get us
started.
We applaud each other.
Mr. Ray (04:10):
So we also have a thing about our gold ties.
So our ties are exceptional.
It's a whole other part of thatorganic piece.
We can take this whole organicthing and run it like it's a
whole Thanksgiving dinner.
So we're going to start with theties.
Right?
That's the beginning, right?
So we got red ties, we got goldties, we got striped ties.
Go ahead and tell me about whatthose ties mean.
(04:32):
Start with the red tie.
That's the first one, when youwere a freshman.
Go back when you were afreshman, okay.
Okay, we're going to dial itback.
Mr. Harris (04:38):
Okay, you got, go back a little bit, go back a
little bit, tell me how that wasand what that was like for you.
Well, that was cool.
So pretty much freshmen come inwith just their white T-shirts.
So we have to get our blazersand our red ties.
That just pretty muchsolidifies you as an urban prep
man.
Just getting that red tie andthat blazer.
(04:59):
What do you have to do to get?
Your tie Y'all go throughFreshman Academy.
Y'all go to Freshman Academy toget that red tie.
Mr. Chapman (05:04):
And what do you have to read?
Yup, that creed that creed whatyou gotta.
Mr. Harris (05:06):
Know that creed what you gotta do you gotta know
that creed?
You gotta believe what yougotta do.
You gotta what you gottabelieve for sure.
Mr. Chapman (05:15):
Yes, sir, for sure.
First.
Then we have convocation, whichis an event that every freshman
at Urban Prep goes through.
After convocation, they Wait aminute.
Mr. Ray (05:27):
Let's not glaze over that convocation.
You're right, I had some guysin here earlier and he said that
was something to him.
That was awesome.
It's special.
And as a new teacher, someonewho came into Urban Prep just to
coach basketball had no idea ofthe culture or the history.
I was thrown back from it.
I was mad.
I was like man, I want to goback to school, I want to have
my convocational, I want to haveone at my school.
You know what I mean.
So, Mr Chapman, just take usback and kind of open us up to
(05:52):
your experience and how it wasfor you.
Mr. Chapman (05:53):
Man convocation.
It was actually at this campushere at Inglewood.
We had all the brothers here.
We split off into our prides,we met all the staff and
teachers.
That's in the building.
I just remember Convocationbeing big because we had two
campuses.
So that was the first year oftwo campuses, of Urban Prep.
And after that man, I still gotthe picture.
(06:16):
I still got the picture of medonning my blaze on.
So it's definitely a veryspecial moment this year.
Currently I have a freshmancousin that's at the Bronzeville
campus.
So it was special, you know,seeing him get his blazer.
I was there to put his blazeron.
Mr. Ray (06:31):
Right, because you were his relative.
Mr. Chapman (06:32):
So that's something they do Exactly indeed.
So another thing we do if wehave a younger brother or older
brother, that's in urban prep,we invite that brother to
convocation to make surebrothers get their blazers.
So it's a big family thing, forsure.
Mr. Ray (06:46):
Yeah, it's awesome, it's a great experience and for
someone who is looking out, I'mpart of the family now.
Thank you for having me.
Yes, sir, but looking from thefirst time seeing it, it takes
you man.
Mr. Chapman (06:57):
It does.
It touches you.
A lot of parents andgrandparents come through.
It's definitely a special itgrandparents come through is
definitely a special.
Mr. Ray (07:07):
It's like a freshman graduation.
We're going to let the worldknow what we do at Urban Prep
because we do it different.
We do it an organic way thatbuilds our young men up to be
successful in this world.
Now that leads us.
Let's go into our creed man.
We believe right, awesome.
Or what I teach history?
Right, this whole concept of acreed man.
We believe right, we believeAwesome.
Or what I teach history right,this whole concept of a creed is
(07:30):
not new.
The Egyptians had it.
They had a philosophy calledmayat.
Same concept when you're takingcare of your community, you
live with integrity, you honoryour brothers and your sisters.
It's a community.
When I read that man, I saidkids, look.
I said it's right here in ourlines and I showed it to them.
(07:50):
I said this is what our peoplewere doing 400, 4,500 years ago.
Djembe drums yeah, we didn'ttalk about.
That Goes back to community.
Right, we're beating the drumsbecause.
Why?
Because community.
We're beating the drums because.
Why?
Because our ancestors in Africawould beat the drums to bring
everybody together.
Oh man, it's deep.
Right, it's deep.
We all the way up.
(08:10):
Alright, so we talked about thecreed.
How many lines in the creed?
Mr. Chapman (08:18):
14?
.
Mr. Ray (08:19):
I think so 14?
Come on 14 lines in the creed.
I'll take 14.
We'll fact check 14 lines inthe creed.
Probably 14.
I'll take 14.
We'll fact check it later.
Mr. Chapman (08:27):
Yeah, you got to fact check that one.
Mr. Ray (08:28):
But that creed is awesome.
Look, I know it and people outthere that's listening to this.
This is what we do.
Yes, sir, and see, and what Itaught my kids, and I'll tell
you something else.
I did develop their ownpersonal creed, because a
positive affirmation is whatthat is and that is huge in
setting your foundation andmanifesting what you want in
(08:50):
life, man.
So it's awesome.
No one does it but us.
Absolutely Nobody does it butus.
What they know.
So we got a couple things elsewe do, come on Right.
So let's talk about on to next.
We talked about the ties.
We talked about convocational.
That's your freshman year.
Mr. Chapman (09:08):
We even talked about Christmas assembly.
Like freshman academy andconvocation is in September,
right, we still got Thanksgiving.
That we do Not Thanksgiving.
But Talk about the Christmas.
Black soul food, black soulfood, black soul food.
We do that at Bronzeville.
Every student gets ahome-cooked meal for
Thanksgiving.
(09:28):
For Christmas, we got thewinter assembly.
Every student at Urban Prepgets a present for Christmas.
So the freshmen, they get hats,the sophomores get hoodies, my
juniors, they get their vest,their Urban Prep vest, yeah.
And my seniors, they get UrbanPrep jackets, their senior
jackets, yeah.
So even that's special.
Mr. Ray (09:46):
Yeah, you're talking about the sport jackets.
Yeah, the sport jackets.
Yeah, they gave me one, I gotone.
There you go.
I got one dog, I got one, hegot his, I got a real one you
know I love that red, rightwe're in February.
Mr. Chapman (09:55):
So we got our Black History Month showcase at the
end of February Coming up in acouple weeks, coming up in a
couple weeks.
Y'all brothers signed up forthat, each department doing
their own thing.
So it's fresh man, it's live,that's what's up.
Mr. Ray (10:08):
Ladies and gentlemen, if you just tuned in, you are
here with Reggie Ray and twograduates from Urban Prep who
will come back to teach and giveback here at Urban Prep
Academies in Chicago Illinois.
We have two campuses one inBronzeville, the in Inglewood.
We are Urban Prep and this isthe what's Up Podcast.
Here with Reggie Ray and twogreat people, young men.
Mr Harrison, mr Chapman, thankyou so much.
(10:32):
So we talked about the creed,now let's talk about on to the
next, on to the next.
I'm going to start with you, mrHarrison.
Mr. Harris (10:38):
Yep.
So just everything we talkingabout is just celebration and
love.
You know, um, just being at aall-boys school, um, full of
young men of like color, justcoming from chicago south side.
We don't really see love in ourcommunity, right?
Young, young men or just menoverall, are we known as being
aggressive or or mad or angry.
So just just the culture hereis is all about.
(11:00):
It's about love and celebratingus, so that that's the biggest
thing.
So, but specifically on to thenext one is to celebrate that
you have got accepted into afour-year university or college
as a senior and you're going onto the next one, so you're going
from high school, going on tothe next as far as to college.
So that's what that's all about.
Mr. Ray (11:20):
Now listen, I want to paint this picture for those out
there that's listening On to.
The next is a big deal.
Everybody comes into theauditorium and you get your name
called, but you don't know whoit is, because first we list all
the universities that you havebeen accepted to, then they call
your name.
Everybody cheers you on, so youjust got to imagine it.
You know what I mean.
You're out there listening.
You got to be there, you got tosee it.
Mr. Chapman (11:42):
It's crazy, just to even see the same traditions,
because the tradition that wasbirthed from on to the next one
is you carry your classmate onto the stage, right, okay, and
what I was in high school, what10 years ago?
They're still doing it today.
Oh yeah, no one taught themthat, it's just been shown over
the years, so it kind of getsadapted through the campuses and
(12:04):
et cetera.
Mr. Ray (12:06):
And see what the kids told me when they were freshmen
and they saw it they couldn'twait, couldn't wait.
It like plants that seed in thechild and it grows and they
want that.
You know what I'm saying.
They want their day.
Yes, sir, yes, sir, man on tothe next grade, for sure.
But now what I understand isschools trying to bite this.
(12:27):
I wonder if we can Copyright ityourself?
Yeah, what's the attorney'scall when you have something in
your mind?
You want somebody to steal it?
Yeah, so we need to get one ofthose lawyers because they want
to take our signing date.
I mean now this, right here.
Ladies and gentlemen, if you'relistening, you just got to close
your eyes and imagine if you'vebeen in Chicago.
We got Daly Center.
It's a big outside facilitywhere they do whatever.
You can have differentfestivals and things.
(12:48):
But we take it and we put astage up right across the street
from the great City Hall ofChicago and we have all the
schools, all the students out,parents and everybody, and the
kids get to come up, put theirhat on of the school that
they've decided to choose.
Yes, sir, absolutely.
Dave decided to choose.
Yes, sir, absolutely.
Tell us about your experience,mr Harris, when that day was
there for you, I got to tell youbefore you say anything.
First time I went, I wanted togo get back and get me a hat.
(13:10):
Get up there, man, tell meabout it, man, it was crazy.
Mr. Harris (13:14):
It was crazy.
It's just the atmosphere.
It just felt like you know, ofcourse, us as men, we love
sports, right, we love sports,and I remember um LeBron being
traded that year, so, um takinghis talents to South Beach.
So I remember, like, when I getmy, I'm taking my talents to
wherever I'm going.
I went to Beloit College,though.
That's why I went.
Uh, yeah, I went to BeloitCollege you enjoyed it.
(13:36):
Yeah, it was.
It was an experience.
It was an experience I'mthankful.
I'm thankful for where I wentum, I got a lot of scholarships
but they end up giving me themost money.
And I ended up with one of mybrothers that he works with now
and another brother that he ledus there.
He graduated in 2012.
But my experience was crazy.
It's just a celebration and ahope.
Regardless of what we gothrough at this school, we still
(13:58):
got to go home.
A lot of these young men thatcollege thing and who you think
you are and all that.
I didn't have that experiencepersonally, but I know a lot of
these young men that collegething and who you think you are
and all that.
I didn't have that experiencepersonally, but I know a lot of
these young men do and they talkto me about it, but that's just
a moment to have another thingto look forward to, like oh,
this is real, I'm really goingto college.
This is something to celebrateat the Daily Center.
(14:20):
This is a monumental place.
Mr. Ray (14:22):
Oh man, it was crazy.
I'm looking forward to it thisyear.
The weather just got to beright.
Mr. Harris (14:26):
Yeah, man.
Mr. Ray (14:27):
Cold or hot, oh man, you know Chicago.
Mr. Chapman (14:29):
It's cold or hot.
Mr. Ray (14:31):
Mr Chapman.
Mr. Chapman (14:31):
Yes, sir, tell us about your experience Mine was
great because I actually stillhave a picture.
My mom came because she workeddowntown close to thealy Center,
so she came and just you knowwhat I'm saying showed some
support, Absolutely.
So that day was definitelyhumbling because even the hat
that I put on wasn't the hatthat I attended, so it was like
(14:53):
you still have to go through theprocesses you know what I'm
saying seeing what's good foryou, seeing what's best for you.
So even in that, it was ateaching moment.
You know what I'm saying.
It's never over until it's done.
You know what I'm saying.
So like you can pick a collegetoday, but tomorrow a different
school might give you more money, you know what I'm saying.
So just using my experience andtelling young men like this is
(15:15):
how life works, you know whatI'm saying.
This is how life works.
This is how you mold yourself.
Like never get too comfortable,you know what I'm saying.
Mr. Ray (15:21):
Enjoy the moment, but it was still a great experience.
Great experience, the best.
This is Urban Prep.
Yes, sir, this is the what's UpPodcast.
Come on, mr Harris, whoattended Urban Prep, graduated
from Urban Prep, went on tocollege and what they do?
They came back For what To giveback to our kids.
Come on, I'll teach y'all.
(15:43):
Hey, listen, this is the what'sUp Podcast.
This is how we do it all right.
Yes, sir, we organic about it.
Come on.
Mr. Chapman (15:49):
It's real.
Mr. Ray (15:50):
We're here in Chicago, in Englewood, serving our kids,
making them better, growing them.
It's a fabulous thing.
One of the things that we dohere is the four R's right.
Let's step into that a littlebit, Okay.
And does that mold you as ayoung man when you were here,
and then I'm a two-part questionhow did that mold you and how
did you receive it?
And then now, as a teacher, howdo you get the kids to accept
(16:14):
it and buy into it?
Mr. Harris (16:15):
That's crazy because we were just talking about this
in class today, but man, yep,the four R's are definitely
relationships, respect,responsibilities and rituals.
So just the tradition and therituals that I learned here,
just the sayings.
The creed to be on time is tobe early, be on time, come on it
(16:36):
.
MUSIC (16:36):
Time is to be early man, it's easy to be ordinary.
It takes courage to excel.
To excel what To be on time.
Mr. Ray (16:41):
That's why it was big man.
I love it.
I called my son.
I know he got to get up at 8and be in class.
I got a boy, I text him.
I hit him with that.
You know, what I mean, you know.
He be like oh all right dad,all right, cause it's motivating
, I use it.
No, I set my watch five minutesearly.
I get up 30 minutes early so Ican get here early Like I want
(17:03):
to get here early, man you knowwhat.
Mr. Harris (17:05):
I mean, that's so big with just those four
different dynamics.
Mr. Ray (17:12):
I could talk all day.
Got time Responsibility respectrelationships.
Mr. Harris (17:16):
You know just the respect for your brother.
You know the respect for yourteachers.
It's just so much that Ilearned, that I take on and I
still implement into my lifetoday.
Mr. Ray (17:27):
So real quick, tie those four R's in to the social
and emotional learning.
Mr. Harris (17:32):
Man, that's everything, that's everything
Tie that in Expand on that.
Man, it's so powerful about whatwe offer here at Urban Prep
because you're not going to findanother high school that's
actually taking the time toteach kids about social and
emotional learning.
You know, we, as AfricanAmericans, this is what we do.
We need therapy, we needcounseling.
We need to know about oursociety, about how to learn
(17:55):
about our emotions.
We need therapy, we needcounseling.
We need to know about oursociety, about how to learn
about our emotions.
So that's everything rituals,relationships, respect and
responsibility.
So it's such a broad topic.
It's just so much we can talkabout within those four things.
Mr. Ray (18:06):
That's awesome, mr Chapman.
Yes sir, tell me about you're adean, so kids getting out of
box or out of bounds?
Yes sir, how do you take thefour R's and relate that to
discipline and restructuring, orre-guiding the kid, redirecting
the kid?
Mr. Chapman (18:25):
Like I tell my students every day, my
philosophy is accountability andrespect.
Respect is one of the four R's,relationship is one of the four
R's.
They have to know theirresponsibility.
As a student as well as a youngblack man, I understand.
As a young black man, we canget, we feel entitled.
You know what I'm saying.
(18:46):
Our emotions get the best of us.
We don't, I guess, receive lovefrom men the way we're supposed
to or the way we should.
You know what I'm sayingTeaching my young man what love
looked like.
Mr. Ray (19:02):
Man.
I was just talking to a parentabout that today.
You see what I'm saying.
I was talking to him becauseyou know we were talking about
the discipline of the child andredirecting them.
And you know he's like man.
My boy is 17, 18.
You know we can't as men.
I don't know if you havechildren, but I have a child.
I have a young man and he getsto a certain age.
I mean he's 5, 6, 7.
You might have to put yourhands on him, spank him whatever
, get him in line, but once theybecome a young man, you don't
(19:25):
want to do that because you'resending the wrong message.
Telling what I mean yeah, sojust getting them to see first.
Mr. Chapman (19:40):
Like love has no boundaries, Correct,
Unconditional.
But also tell them this I canlove you but also not give you
what you want.
You know what I'm saying?
Love has its own type ofspectrum Sometimes it's tough.
Sometimes it's tough.
You know what I'm saying.
I don't love you like yourmother loves you, but I love you
.
I have love for you and I wantto see you do good.
(20:02):
That's it.
That's my job.
You see what I'm saying?
I can't love you as a parentbecause I'm not your parent.
You understand what I'm saying.
So you need to understand thistype of love tough love that
you're getting from me, becauseit's going to hold you
accountable.
It's going to help you buildrelationships.
It's going to help you learnwhat respect looks like.
You understand what I'm saying.
So that's how I tie in the fourR's to my philosophy.
(20:25):
For sure, that's awesome man.
Mr. Ray (20:27):
Yeah, that's good stuff .
After you graduated, you guyswent to school.
There's a program we have wherewe reach out Alumni program.
Yeah, so tell us a little bitabout that.
Mr. Chapman (20:36):
Expand on that for the listeners.
Yeah, so alumni program wasfirst with the.
I remember Mr Cameron Barnes.
He was the first graduatingclass once he went by he now
works for, like the ObamaFoundation or something like
that.
Right, shout out to him.
But I remember, Mr Barnes.
I remember being kicked out ofYoungstown for grades right.
My first semester I ended up inJuco in Minnesota, somewhere Mr
(21:02):
Barnes reached out to me, youknow, asked me how I'm doing
everything, okay, grades, good,like.
What do you need?
Are you coming back?
And et cetera.
So just having the alumniprogram as a resource for
someone checking on me, makingsure I'm straight, hearing a
brother that I shared the samehallways with you know what I'm
saying.
Now, hold this position.
Checking on me, make sure I'mstraight.
Mr. Ray (21:22):
I get goosebumps.
You saying that, like I canthink about the times I was in
school and I didn't have that.
Correct, you know what I mean?
I didn't have that.
All I have is my mama.
Correct, you know what I mean?
Like man, like the world needsto know that.
You know, like they need toknow what Urban Prep does.
That's like next level.
Not only do we make sure 100%of our kids get accepted, but no
(21:44):
, after they're in school we'rethere with a lifeline.
Like that is huge.
Tell us about it, yourexperience in school.
Mr. Harris (21:52):
How did that relate with you?
I had a similar experience,actually, but it serves as a
network.
You know it serves as a network.
This is a foundation, this is acorporation, this is a
brotherhood.
So you know every holiday, youknow they have an alumni event.
So you know, as far as in highschool, you only know the four
(22:13):
years that you know.
You know the people that youwent to school with, but now you
get to come to this Urban Prepalumni event.
So, for instance, I graduatedin 2013.
Now I get to meet brothers thatcame after me Right and before
you and before me, right, but mypersonal experience with it,
urban Prep, saved me.
(22:34):
Urban Prep saved me.
It was a resource for me.
I ended up getting dismissedfrom college as well after my
junior year.
Just wasn't making the rightdecisions as far as academics,
just you know, just being a kid.
MUSIC (22:47):
You know, still being a kid, wasn't really?
Mr. Harris (22:49):
yeah, 19, wasn't really going into that adulthood
and being a man yet.
So I reached out.
I reached out, you know, andthey specifically missed a boy,
you know, shout out to Mr Boyd,but I spent a lot of time with
him, you know came to theheadquarters, we set a game plan
in place, you know, and we putit in force.
See, and it worked.
See what I'm saying.
I got back in school, I got myscholarship back and God is I
(23:11):
finished.
Mr. Ray (23:11):
See, that's what's up, man.
MUSIC (23:13):
Burp, burp, burp, burp.
You ready for it?
Mr. Ray (23:18):
Hey, this is Reggie Ray .
This is the what's Up Podcast.
We are here in Chicago reppingUrban Prep.
We have two alumni here tellingus about the fantastic things
they have done and are doinghere at Urban Prep.
I am Reggie Ray, I'm your host,I have Mr Chapman and Mr Harris
here and we are Urban Prep andwe believe let's go With.
(23:40):
That being said, tell us alittle bit about what do you see
yourself doing here with UrbanPrep going down the line.
Talk to us about it.
Mr. Harris (23:51):
At first it's just sharing love.
Just within my background, I'ma sociology major and it just so
happened that I was put inplace to be the SEL instructor,
aka the pride teacher.
My goal is to pour into them.
My goal is to pour into them,educate them.
You know how education goes.
(24:11):
We have a lot of educators outthere that really don't pour
into our kids.
So that's my biggest thing.
It's draining, but I love it.
Mr. Ray (24:21):
I pour into them.
Mr. Harris (24:22):
My goal is to keep pouring into them love education
and guidance, for sure thatguy's good tell me about you
what you feel.
Mr. Ray (24:30):
Chapman, for sure your guy's good.
Mr. Chapman (24:32):
Yeah, man, tell me about you, what you feel,
chapman, for sure this year forme, being a father of a
six-year-old going into my nextchild for sure, Talk about it.
Just patience, having patiencewith my young man, understanding
where they're coming from butalso knowing where they're
coming from.
You know what I'm saying.
I have a great relationshipwith all parents.
(24:55):
That's in my school.
I'm sorry that.
Trust us that young man, it'sgreat to have parents reach out
to you on a regular basis.
Yeah, does it get frustrating?
Et cetera.
It can be.
You know you're on yourweekends and they're calling you
, it's after hours and they'recalling you.
However, just knowing that theyhave an outlet at the school,
that they trust and know andthat they know they can call you
(25:18):
know what I'm saying.
Mr. Ray (25:19):
Hey, I got to tell you something, brother, you're doing
something special.
I appreciate you, brother.
I'm telling you Listen, ain'tnobody.
Hey, you doing somethingspecial, bro, appreciate you
brother.
Man that is awesome theyreaching out to you.
Mr. Chapman (25:31):
That's important, man, because you doing something
special man, that's importantman.
Mr. Ray (25:34):
Having that relationship with parents is my
philosophy again and I'm goingto take a page out your book and
I was just talking to someonethis weekend and I said the next
thing I need to do to improvemyself is start calling parents
when the students do somethinggood.
Mr. Chapman (25:51):
Good, yes, sir.
Mr. Ray (25:52):
Absolutely.
Mr. Harris (25:53):
Yes, sir.
Mr. Ray (25:54):
And I started.
Yesterday I called a kid'sparent because man, this young
man, shout out to Mr Johnson,jay Johnson, he's just been
exceptional.
Yes, sir, starting in the class, sitting down being locked in
If he's not finished asking tostay getting it done right.
Just the presentation, justbeing locked in, man, that's the
flowers man, that's the flowers.
Mr. Chapman (26:16):
Once you like.
Just today, one of my studentsshout out to Mr Anderson, one of
my juniors beginning of theyear, suspension, suspension,
suspension.
Just wasn't doing what's askedof him.
You understand what I'm saying.
He's been on the up and up.
I talk to his teachers.
They praise him.
You know what I'm saying.
They say oh, I'm coming in theclassroom like yeah, deion, I
(26:38):
don't know about Mr Anderson andthis, and that they're like no,
he good, he doing great.
That's shocking me.
You, you see what I'm saying,because I only see what I see
sometimes.
You know what I'm saying.
So I definitely wrote him agold tie and he got it today.
But I had to pull him to theside and tell him, like you know
what I'm saying, I'm proud ofyou, like, I see you.
I might not tell you all thetime, you know what I'm saying.
You might not get the accolades, but I wrote that for you.
(27:03):
You, those are the flowers thatI want.
You know what I'm saying.
Students turning around anddoing something good for
themselves.
You know what I'm saying.
Not for me, that's awesome, sofor sure.
Mr. Ray (27:15):
What skills do you think that you've developed to
really help you with the kidsevery?
Mr. Harris (27:18):
day man.
Like Mr Chapman said, patience,definitely patience.
I have a young girl myself.
I have a four-year-old daughter.
Whew, whew, it's tough.
It's tough man.
It's teaching me patience.
We come in as educators, wecome in with our baggage, we
come in with our mess, our life.
(27:39):
We have a life outside ofteaching these students.
They have a life outside ofbeing students.
It just teaches me to have thepatience and more understanding
when I do that and and I sitdown okay, let me not fight fire
or fire, let me sit down andlet me breathe, let me see
what's going on with him.
Mr. Ray (27:56):
Yeah, that's something I do before they come into class
.
I line them up and I call atemperature check.
Mr. Harris (28:00):
Check in, yeah we got to check in every day.
Mr. Ray (28:02):
Man, but you'll find, you know, I catch a few Because
sometimes our kids havesituations, like you said,
outside of school.
Yeah.
Mr. Harris (28:10):
You know what I mean .
Mr. Ray (28:11):
And you can see it sometimes.
So you know, I grab them, pullthem to the side and say, hey,
man, you cool, you can see it ontheir face.
Mr. Chapman (28:16):
Yeah, you can feel it, you can feel it too.
Mr. Ray (28:18):
What you need, we got you.
You know, yep, yes sir, yes sir, here at Urban them up, making
them strong young men,well-rounded young men,
absolutely.
We got our creed, we have allof our rituals that we do that
help to formulate and buildthese young men.
That's what brought you heretoday, that's what motivates me
every day.
Come on, I mean, I love it,that's good you know what I mean
, and it wasn't something I setout for.
(28:40):
It's a scary thing, yeah, whenI think about it.
Cap on it.
What I went to school for isthis Wow, that deep.
And the other thing too, right,we haven't talked about it, but
100% college acceptance, all ofour students.
I don't know if I dialed in onthat, but let's not let that be
(29:01):
glazed over.
Mr. Chapman (29:02):
No, for sure.
Mr. Ray (29:04):
Our kids are accepted in college.
Mr. Chapman (29:07):
It's a beautiful thing to know, like Ms Lacewell
always says, that you have anoption.
You know what I'm saying.
It might not be the option foryou, and that's fine, but to
have that option to have anacceptance letter from a college
that's 300, 400 miles away, youknow what I'm saying that's an
accomplishment that each andevery young person should have
(29:27):
some type of growth for it.
You understand what I'm saying,but it's not to be glazed over.
However, I would say are we theonly school doing it?
No, but we going to make surethat we, the school that blasts
it out there, you know what I'msaying Showing that we care
about young men, Showing thatthey are doing great in this
(29:49):
world.
There's plenty of schools shoutout to all these high schools
out here that have 100% collegeacceptances, having students
doing dual enrollment programs.
Shout out to them.
You know what I'm saying.
I'm not taking nothing fromthem, but Urban Prep is going to
make sure we show everyoneexactly what we're doing.
Mr. Ray (30:06):
And we're taking a step forward.
Mr. Chapman (30:07):
Taking a step forward, and that's okay.
Mr. Ray (30:08):
We're taking a step forward, that's okay, you all
are proof of it.
Come on, you know Absolutely.
When you struggled in college,who could you turn to?
Yes, sir Urban Prep.
Yeah, you know Now who's doingthat.
Are they doing that at St Rita?
I don, I know we're doing ithere at.
Mr. Chapman (30:25):
Urban Prep in.
Mr. Ray (30:26):
Englewood, in Chicago and Bronzeville, and we've been
doing it now for what?
19 years?
We're working on 20, right, Igot the number right.
Right, yeah, 20.
We all the way up.
We all the way up Because webelieve, let's go, come on.
MUSIC (30:38):
Let's talk.
Mr. Ray (30:43):
With that being said, this is Urban Prep.
I am your host.
I am your host.
I am Reggie Ray, civics teacherhere at Urban Prep.
I have the pleasure to besitting with two fabulous young
men, mr Harris and Mr Chapman,who graduated from Urban Prep,
who've come back and given backto our kids in a fabulous way.
A fabulous way, guys, before wego, what do you have to give?
What do you want to?
Mr. Harris (31:03):
say About 100%.
I think I was going to say,like a lot of institutions, they
focus on completion, that wouldbe 7th, 8th grade, even before
high school.
They focus on graduatingGraduating class 7th 8th grade,
graduating class from highschool, graduating class from
college but it's about the on tothe next.
We focus on something that wedon't have to.
(31:25):
The purpose of a high school isto get your high school diploma
period.
You come to high school, get ahigh school diploma, but we
focus on on to the next andfollowing you and seeing what
you're going to do.
But, like Mr Chapman said, youhave the option.
You have the option to go tocollege.
The consistency is just amazing.
You know, I come back and it'sthe same.
(31:45):
It's the consistency, it'samazing.
I come back and it's the same.
It's the consistency, with thatfocus on getting these young
men accepted into a four-yearuniversity college.
That's powerful, that's justreal powerful.
Mr. Chapman (31:58):
Let me take it a step further.
The incentives they have to doto get they written gold ties.
You know what I'm saying.
I believe this year or twoyears they now make our seniors
registered voters.
MUSIC (32:13):
Yes, that's big, that's dope man, that's big.
Well, you know, we all on it.
Mr. Chapman (32:16):
That's big.
You know what I'm saying.
Like these brothers aren'tvoting, these brothers aren't
voting before they go off intocollege.
My kids, man, they have aresponsibility.
Mr. Ray (32:24):
I had them write a bill .
They wrote a bill against.
You know, they got these kidsthat are making these ghost guns
, Okay.
And then there's another weapon.
I'm not a big weapon guy, soplease forgive me I forget the
acronyms.
It's LCFD or something likethat, some automatic clip thing.
But they wrote this piece oflegislation.
It's fabulous.
So I've got Senator NapoleonHarris to come up here.
(32:49):
I want to see it.
Mr. Harris (32:50):
Wow, that's big man Congrats, that's big.
Mr. Ray (32:53):
I try every year to get someone in here so they can
talk to and see what they can beand what's available to them,
and that civics is a whole otherbranch that schools don't offer
.
It's big and that points backto our creed, because we have
responsibility to who Family,family.
Mr. Harris (33:10):
Community World.
Mr. Ray (33:12):
That's what we build here at Urban Prep Academies.
Yes, sir.
So before we go for all thoseout there, we want to recite
what we're proud to have as ourcreed.
You guys ready for it?
Don't worry, come on.
So let's give it to them infull right.
So you have a pride that youbelong to.
You have one that you belong to.
I represent a pride.
We're going to announce ourpride and we're going to do it.
Mr. Chapman (33:35):
Mr Chapman, class of 2013,.
Pride of relentlessness.
Mr. Harris (33:39):
Mr Harris, class of 2013,.
Mr. Ray (33:41):
Pride of integrity, Mr Ray class of 2025, pride of
accountability.
Mr. Chapman (33:49):
We believe we are the young men of urban prep
Class of 2025.
Pride of accountability webelieve we are the young men of
urban prep.
We are college bound, we areexceptional.
Mr. Harris (33:55):
Not because we said, because we work hard at it.
Mr. Ray (33:58):
We will not falter in the face of any obstacle placed
before us we are dedicatedcommitted and focused.
Mr. Harris (34:02):
We never succumb to bureaucracy uncertainty or fear
we never, fail.
We never give up.
We make no excuses.
We choose to live honestlynonviolently and honorably.
Mr. Ray (34:12):
We respect ourselves.
Mr. Harris (34:13):
In doing so we respect all people.
Mr. Ray (34:15):
We have a future we are accountable.
Mr. Harris (34:17):
We have a responsibility to our families
communities and the world.
We are brothers, keepers.
We believe in ourselves, webelieve in each other.
Mr. Ray (34:24):
We believe in our prep.
We believe let's go baby.
Okay, ladies and gentlemen, Iam Reggie Ray.
This is the what's Up Podcasthere at Urban Prep Academies in
Inglewood, chicago.
Our other camp is Bronzeville.
We want to say thank you forlistening and remember we are
here for your children.
(34:44):
Urban Prep Academies.
Thank you so much.
MUSIC (34:48):
That's it today for the what's Up Podcast with Urban
Prep Academies.
Thank, kindness and respect.
We believe, believe in UrbanPrep.
What's up family.
This is Reggie Ray.
I'm your host here at thewhat's Up Podcast.
Here in Inglewood, chicago, weare Urban Prep.
I have two alumni I'm soexcited, fired up, we got two
alumni from Urban Prep that havecome back to give back to the
ARC students.
I have Mr Harris on one hand,mr Chapman over here also, so
(00:23):
we're going to be here today.
We're going to tell you how wedo it and show you where we came
from and where we are.
This is the what's Up Podcast.
MUSIC (00:29):
I am Reggie Ray, your host, and we believe Welcome to
the Urban Prep Academy's podcast, the what's Up Podcast.
We believe Investing in ourfuture.
We believe and making noexcuses.
We believe Showing in ourfuture.
We believe and making noexcuses.
(00:49):
We believe Show kindness andrespect.
We believe Believe in UrbanPrep.
And now the what's.
Mr. Ray (00:53):
Up Podcast.
Hello ladies and gentlemen outthere in the world.
We are Urban Prep.
I am your host here, Reggie Ray, at the what's Up Podcast.
I have two graduating young menwho've graduated from Urban
Prep, gone on through college,finished school and have come
back to give back and are doingtheir thing.
I have a Mr Harris and a MrChapman.
(01:13):
I am Reggie Ray here at thewhat's Up Podcast in Chicago,
Illinois, Englewood, Urban PrepAcademies and we are here to
tell you how we do it, becausewe do it organically.
Mr. Chapman (01:22):
There we go.
Mr. Ray (01:23):
Yep, what's up, fellas, how we doing today, doing great
brother, happy Tuesday.
Mr. Chapman (01:27):
Happy Tuesday, happy Wednesday.
Mr. Ray (01:28):
Tuesday, wednesday.
We here, it's Wednesday.
We here.
Baby, come on.
Days are blending in on you,huh, mr?
Mr. Chapman (01:33):
Chapman yes, sir, been going hard with the kids.
Yes, they were freshmen when Ifirst came in, so it's always
good to see that growth.
Mr. Ray (01:45):
Yes, sir, mr Chapman, tell us about what you do at
Urban Prep.
Mr. Chapman (01:49):
I'm the Dean of Students at the Bronzeville
campus, mr Harris.
Mr. Harris (01:53):
I'm the Social Emotional Learning Specialist.
We call it Pride Teacher atUrban Prep.
Mr. Ray (01:57):
Awesome, and I am the Civics Teacher here at Inglewood
.
Mr Harris, tell me more aboutwhat you do.
Mr. Harris (02:03):
So pretty much Social Emotional Learning is
definitely needed In our.
Would, mr Harris, tell me moreabout what you do?
So pretty much social emotionallearning, you know, is
definitely needed in ourcommunity with our black boys.
So pretty much my goal is tomold them and to help them along
the journey as far as beingyoung black men in the city of
Chicago.
Mr. Ray (02:17):
That's awesome.
That's awesome.
Going to what you do tell usabout it Me, dean of Students.
Mr. Chapman (02:22):
I started as a substitute teacher, urban prep,
moved up from a substituteteacher, paraprofessional, to a
private teacher what Mr Harrisdoes and to a dean of students
right now.
So make sure the studentscoming on time, make sure they
properly dress, make sure ayoung man knows respects and
accountability.
That's it.
That's it.
Mr. Ray (02:40):
So bringing that in, one of the things that we
instill in our kids is somethingwe call shy.
Now, that's our culture, ourhistory and our identity.
Go into it a little bit, MrChapman.
Tell me how that influenced youand brought you to the point
you are today, as a man For sure.
Mr. Chapman (02:57):
The culture at Urban Prep is one of a kind,
Like you said in the beginning.
It's very organic.
We've been doing social andemotional, before it became a
topic or a hot word that's usednow.
So through that social andemotional learning for sure.
We became better men.
I became a better athlete,became a better brother to my
(03:17):
classmates, and et cetera.
Mr. Ray (03:19):
I want you to hone in on the CHI, the CHI that we push
in community every morning.
Some of the things that we doin urban prep is not done
anywhere else.
Correct, you know what I mean?
Our whole rapture, what we do.
Let's start with our morning,right, we come in as a community
, literally a community.
We bring everybody together inthe school building.
(03:41):
So let's go into that.
Mr Harris, Tell me yourexperiences with that.
We're going to start off withthe shy culture, our history,
our identity.
Mr. Harris (03:49):
Well, just starting off with community is basically
its first period for all youngmen and ourselves as teachers.
We all link up in auditoriumand we do a lot of things.
That serves to get our daystarted as far as just like we
have activities, but we do a lotof specific things to get us
started.
We applaud each other.
Mr. Ray (04:10):
So we also have a thing about our gold ties.
So our ties are exceptional.
It's a whole other part of thatorganic piece.
We can take this whole organicthing and run it like it's a
whole Thanksgiving dinner.
So we're going to start with theties.
Right?
That's the beginning, right?
So we got red ties, we got goldties, we got striped ties.
Go ahead and tell me about whatthose ties mean.
(04:32):
Start with the red tie.
That's the first one, when youwere a freshman.
Go back when you were afreshman, okay.
Okay, we're going to dial itback.
Mr. Harris (04:38):
Okay, you got, go back a little bit, go back a
little bit, tell me how that wasand what that was like for you.
Well, that was cool.
So pretty much freshmen come inwith just their white T-shirts.
So we have to get our blazersand our red ties.
That just pretty muchsolidifies you as an urban prep
man.
Just getting that red tie andthat blazer.
(04:59):
What do you have to do to get?
Your tie Y'all go throughFreshman Academy.
Y'all go to Freshman Academy toget that red tie.
Mr. Chapman (05:04):
And what do you have to read?
Yup, that creed that creed whatyou gotta.
Mr. Harris (05:06):
Know that creed what you gotta do you gotta know
that creed?
You gotta believe what yougotta do.
You gotta what you gottabelieve for sure.
Mr. Chapman (05:15):
Yes, sir, for sure.
First.
Then we have convocation, whichis an event that every freshman
at Urban Prep goes through.
After convocation, they Wait aminute.
Mr. Ray (05:27):
Let's not glaze over that convocation.
You're right, I had some guysin here earlier and he said that
was something to him.
That was awesome.
It's special.
And as a new teacher, someonewho came into Urban Prep just to
coach basketball had no idea ofthe culture or the history.
I was thrown back from it.
I was mad.
I was like man, I want to goback to school, I want to have
my convocational, I want to haveone at my school.
You know what I mean.
So, Mr Chapman, just take usback and kind of open us up to
(05:52):
your experience and how it wasfor you.
Mr. Chapman (05:53):
Man convocation.
It was actually at this campushere at Inglewood.
We had all the brothers here.
We split off into our prides,we met all the staff and
teachers.
That's in the building.
I just remember Convocationbeing big because we had two
campuses.
So that was the first year oftwo campuses, of Urban Prep.
And after that man, I still gotthe picture.
(06:16):
I still got the picture of medonning my blaze on.
So it's definitely a veryspecial moment this year.
Currently I have a freshmancousin that's at the Bronzeville
campus.
So it was special, you know,seeing him get his blazer.
I was there to put his blazeron.
Mr. Ray (06:31):
Right, because you were his relative.
Mr. Chapman (06:32):
So that's something they do Exactly indeed.
So another thing we do if wehave a younger brother or older
brother, that's in urban prep,we invite that brother to
convocation to make surebrothers get their blazers.
So it's a big family thing, forsure.
Mr. Ray (06:46):
Yeah, it's awesome, it's a great experience and for
someone who is looking out, I'mpart of the family now.
Thank you for having me.
Yes, sir, but looking from thefirst time seeing it, it takes
you man.
Mr. Chapman (06:57):
It does.
It touches you.
A lot of parents andgrandparents come through.
It's definitely a special itgrandparents come through is
definitely a special.
Mr. Ray (07:07):
It's like a freshman graduation.
We're going to let the worldknow what we do at Urban Prep
because we do it different.
We do it an organic way thatbuilds our young men up to be
successful in this world.
Now that leads us.
Let's go into our creed man.
We believe right, awesome.
Or what I teach history?
Right, this whole concept of acreed man.
We believe right, we believeAwesome.
Or what I teach history right,this whole concept of a creed is
(07:30):
not new.
The Egyptians had it.
They had a philosophy calledmayat.
Same concept when you're takingcare of your community, you
live with integrity, you honoryour brothers and your sisters.
It's a community.
When I read that man, I saidkids, look.
I said it's right here in ourlines and I showed it to them.
(07:50):
I said this is what our peoplewere doing 400, 4,500 years ago.
Djembe drums yeah, we didn'ttalk about.
That Goes back to community.
Right, we're beating the drumsbecause.
Why?
Because community.
We're beating the drums because.
Why?
Because our ancestors in Africawould beat the drums to bring
everybody together.
Oh man, it's deep.
Right, it's deep.
We all the way up.
(08:10):
Alright, so we talked about thecreed.
How many lines in the creed?
Mr. Chapman (08:18):
14?
.
Mr. Ray (08:19):
I think so 14?
Come on 14 lines in the creed.
I'll take 14.
We'll fact check 14 lines inthe creed.
Probably 14.
I'll take 14.
We'll fact check it later.
Mr. Chapman (08:27):
Yeah, you got to fact check that one.
Mr. Ray (08:28):
But that creed is awesome.
Look, I know it and people outthere that's listening to this.
This is what we do.
Yes, sir, and see, and what Itaught my kids, and I'll tell
you something else.
I did develop their ownpersonal creed, because a
positive affirmation is whatthat is and that is huge in
setting your foundation andmanifesting what you want in
(08:50):
life, man.
So it's awesome.
No one does it but us.
Absolutely Nobody does it butus.
What they know.
So we got a couple things elsewe do, come on Right.
So let's talk about on to next.
We talked about the ties.
We talked about convocational.
That's your freshman year.
Mr. Chapman (09:08):
We even talked about Christmas assembly.
Like freshman academy andconvocation is in September,
right, we still got Thanksgiving.
That we do Not Thanksgiving.
But Talk about the Christmas.
Black soul food, black soulfood, black soul food.
We do that at Bronzeville.
Every student gets ahome-cooked meal for
Thanksgiving.
(09:28):
For Christmas, we got thewinter assembly.
Every student at Urban Prepgets a present for Christmas.
So the freshmen, they get hats,the sophomores get hoodies, my
juniors, they get their vest,their Urban Prep vest, yeah.
And my seniors, they get UrbanPrep jackets, their senior
jackets, yeah.
So even that's special.
Mr. Ray (09:46):
Yeah, you're talking about the sport jackets.
Yeah, the sport jackets.
Yeah, they gave me one, I gotone.
There you go.
I got one dog, I got one, hegot his, I got a real one you
know I love that red, rightwe're in February.
Mr. Chapman (09:55):
So we got our Black History Month showcase at the
end of February Coming up in acouple weeks, coming up in a
couple weeks.
Y'all brothers signed up forthat, each department doing
their own thing.
So it's fresh man, it's live,that's what's up.
Mr. Ray (10:08):
Ladies and gentlemen, if you just tuned in, you are
here with Reggie Ray and twograduates from Urban Prep who
will come back to teach and giveback here at Urban Prep
Academies in Chicago Illinois.
We have two campuses one inBronzeville, the in Inglewood.
We are Urban Prep and this isthe what's Up Podcast.
Here with Reggie Ray and twogreat people, young men.
Mr Harrison, mr Chapman, thankyou so much.
(10:32):
So we talked about the creed,now let's talk about on to the
next, on to the next.
I'm going to start with you, mrHarrison.
Mr. Harris (10:38):
Yep.
So just everything we talkingabout is just celebration and
love.
You know, um, just being at aall-boys school, um, full of
young men of like color, justcoming from chicago south side.
We don't really see love in ourcommunity, right?
Young, young men or just menoverall, are we known as being
aggressive or or mad or angry.
So just just the culture hereis is all about.
(11:00):
It's about love and celebratingus, so that that's the biggest
thing.
So, but specifically on to thenext one is to celebrate that
you have got accepted into afour-year university or college
as a senior and you're going onto the next one, so you're going
from high school, going on tothe next as far as to college.
So that's what that's all about.
Mr. Ray (11:20):
Now listen, I want to paint this picture for those out
there that's listening On to.
The next is a big deal.
Everybody comes into theauditorium and you get your name
called, but you don't know whoit is, because first we list all
the universities that you havebeen accepted to, then they call
your name.
Everybody cheers you on, so youjust got to imagine it.
You know what I mean.
You're out there listening.
You got to be there, you got tosee it.
Mr. Chapman (11:42):
It's crazy, just to even see the same traditions,
because the tradition that wasbirthed from on to the next one
is you carry your classmate onto the stage, right, okay, and
what I was in high school, what10 years ago?
They're still doing it today.
Oh yeah, no one taught themthat, it's just been shown over
the years, so it kind of getsadapted through the campuses and
(12:04):
et cetera.
Mr. Ray (12:06):
And see what the kids told me when they were freshmen
and they saw it they couldn'twait, couldn't wait.
It like plants that seed in thechild and it grows and they
want that.
You know what I'm saying.
They want their day.
Yes, sir, yes, sir, man on tothe next grade, for sure.
But now what I understand isschools trying to bite this.
(12:27):
I wonder if we can Copyright ityourself?
Yeah, what's the attorney'scall when you have something in
your mind?
You want somebody to steal it?
Yeah, so we need to get one ofthose lawyers because they want
to take our signing date.
I mean now this, right here.
Ladies and gentlemen, if you'relistening, you just got to close
your eyes and imagine if you'vebeen in Chicago.
We got Daly Center.
It's a big outside facilitywhere they do whatever.
You can have differentfestivals and things.
(12:48):
But we take it and we put astage up right across the street
from the great City Hall ofChicago and we have all the
schools, all the students out,parents and everybody, and the
kids get to come up, put theirhat on of the school that
they've decided to choose.
Yes, sir, absolutely.
Dave decided to choose.
Yes, sir, absolutely.
Tell us about your experience,mr Harris, when that day was
there for you, I got to tell youbefore you say anything.
First time I went, I wanted togo get back and get me a hat.
(13:10):
Get up there, man, tell meabout it, man, it was crazy.
Mr. Harris (13:14):
It was crazy.
It's just the atmosphere.
It just felt like you know, ofcourse, us as men, we love
sports, right, we love sports,and I remember um LeBron being
traded that year, so, um takinghis talents to South Beach.
So I remember, like, when I getmy, I'm taking my talents to
wherever I'm going.
I went to Beloit College,though.
That's why I went.
Uh, yeah, I went to BeloitCollege you enjoyed it.
(13:36):
Yeah, it was.
It was an experience.
It was an experience I'mthankful.
I'm thankful for where I wentum, I got a lot of scholarships
but they end up giving me themost money.
And I ended up with one of mybrothers that he works with now
and another brother that he ledus there.
He graduated in 2012.
But my experience was crazy.
It's just a celebration and ahope.
Regardless of what we gothrough at this school, we still
(13:58):
got to go home.
A lot of these young men thatcollege thing and who you think
you are and all that.
I didn't have that experiencepersonally, but I know a lot of
these young men that collegething and who you think you are
and all that.
I didn't have that experiencepersonally, but I know a lot of
these young men do and they talkto me about it, but that's just
a moment to have another thingto look forward to, like oh,
this is real, I'm really goingto college.
This is something to celebrateat the Daily Center.
(14:20):
This is a monumental place.
Mr. Ray (14:22):
Oh man, it was crazy.
I'm looking forward to it thisyear.
The weather just got to beright.
Mr. Harris (14:26):
Yeah, man.
Mr. Ray (14:27):
Cold or hot, oh man, you know Chicago.
Mr. Chapman (14:29):
It's cold or hot.
Mr. Ray (14:31):
Mr Chapman.
Mr. Chapman (14:31):
Yes, sir, tell us about your experience Mine was
great because I actually stillhave a picture.
My mom came because she workeddowntown close to thealy Center,
so she came and just you knowwhat I'm saying showed some
support, Absolutely.
So that day was definitelyhumbling because even the hat
that I put on wasn't the hatthat I attended, so it was like
(14:53):
you still have to go through theprocesses you know what I'm
saying seeing what's good foryou, seeing what's best for you.
So even in that, it was ateaching moment.
You know what I'm saying.
It's never over until it's done.
You know what I'm saying.
So like you can pick a collegetoday, but tomorrow a different
school might give you more money, you know what I'm saying.
So just using my experience andtelling young men like this is
(15:15):
how life works, you know whatI'm saying.
This is how life works.
This is how you mold yourself.
Like never get too comfortable,you know what I'm saying.
Mr. Ray (15:21):
Enjoy the moment, but it was still a great experience.
Great experience, the best.
This is Urban Prep.
Yes, sir, this is the what's UpPodcast.
Come on, mr Harris, whoattended Urban Prep, graduated
from Urban Prep, went on tocollege and what they do?
They came back For what To giveback to our kids.
Come on, I'll teach y'all.
(15:43):
Hey, listen, this is the what'sUp Podcast.
This is how we do it all right.
Yes, sir, we organic about it.
Come on.
Mr. Chapman (15:49):
It's real.
Mr. Ray (15:50):
We're here in Chicago, in Englewood, serving our kids,
making them better, growing them.
It's a fabulous thing.
One of the things that we dohere is the four R's right.
Let's step into that a littlebit, Okay.
And does that mold you as ayoung man when you were here,
and then I'm a two-part questionhow did that mold you and how
did you receive it?
And then now, as a teacher, howdo you get the kids to accept
(16:14):
it and buy into it?
Mr. Harris (16:15):
That's crazy because we were just talking about this
in class today, but man, yep,the four R's are definitely
relationships, respect,responsibilities and rituals.
So just the tradition and therituals that I learned here,
just the sayings.
The creed to be on time is tobe early, be on time, come on it
(16:36):
.
MUSIC (16:36):
Time is to be early man, it's easy to be ordinary.
It takes courage to excel.
To excel what To be on time.
Mr. Ray (16:41):
That's why it was big man.
I love it.
I called my son.
I know he got to get up at 8and be in class.
I got a boy, I text him.
I hit him with that.
You know, what I mean, you know.
He be like oh all right dad,all right, cause it's motivating
, I use it.
No, I set my watch five minutesearly.
I get up 30 minutes early so Ican get here early Like I want
(17:03):
to get here early, man you knowwhat.
Mr. Harris (17:05):
I mean, that's so big with just those four
different dynamics.
Mr. Ray (17:12):
I could talk all day.
Got time Responsibility respectrelationships.
Mr. Harris (17:16):
You know just the respect for your brother.
You know the respect for yourteachers.
It's just so much that Ilearned, that I take on and I
still implement into my lifetoday.
Mr. Ray (17:27):
So real quick, tie those four R's in to the social
and emotional learning.
Mr. Harris (17:32):
Man, that's everything, that's everything
Tie that in Expand on that.
Man, it's so powerful about whatwe offer here at Urban Prep
because you're not going to findanother high school that's
actually taking the time toteach kids about social and
emotional learning.
You know, we, as AfricanAmericans, this is what we do.
We need therapy, we needcounseling.
We need to know about oursociety, about how to learn
(17:55):
about our emotions.
We need therapy, we needcounseling.
We need to know about oursociety, about how to learn
about our emotions.
So that's everything rituals,relationships, respect and
responsibility.
So it's such a broad topic.
It's just so much we can talkabout within those four things.
Mr. Ray (18:06):
That's awesome, mr Chapman.
Yes sir, tell me about you're adean, so kids getting out of
box or out of bounds?
Yes sir, how do you take thefour R's and relate that to
discipline and restructuring, orre-guiding the kid, redirecting
the kid?
Mr. Chapman (18:25):
Like I tell my students every day, my
philosophy is accountability andrespect.
Respect is one of the four R's,relationship is one of the four
R's.
They have to know theirresponsibility.
As a student as well as a youngblack man, I understand.
As a young black man, we canget, we feel entitled.
You know what I'm saying.
(18:46):
Our emotions get the best of us.
We don't, I guess, receive lovefrom men the way we're supposed
to or the way we should.
You know what I'm sayingTeaching my young man what love
looked like.
Mr. Ray (19:02):
Man.
I was just talking to a parentabout that today.
You see what I'm saying.
I was talking to him becauseyou know we were talking about
the discipline of the child andredirecting them.
And you know he's like man.
My boy is 17, 18.
You know we can't as men.
I don't know if you havechildren, but I have a child.
I have a young man and he getsto a certain age.
I mean he's 5, 6, 7.
You might have to put yourhands on him, spank him whatever
, get him in line, but once theybecome a young man, you don't
(19:25):
want to do that because you'resending the wrong message.
Telling what I mean yeah, sojust getting them to see first.
Mr. Chapman (19:40):
Like love has no boundaries, Correct,
Unconditional.
But also tell them this I canlove you but also not give you
what you want.
You know what I'm saying?
Love has its own type ofspectrum Sometimes it's tough.
Sometimes it's tough.
You know what I'm saying.
I don't love you like yourmother loves you, but I love you
.
I have love for you and I wantto see you do good.
(20:02):
That's it.
That's my job.
You see what I'm saying?
I can't love you as a parentbecause I'm not your parent.
You understand what I'm saying.
So you need to understand thistype of love tough love that
you're getting from me, becauseit's going to hold you
accountable.
It's going to help you buildrelationships.
It's going to help you learnwhat respect looks like.
You understand what I'm saying.
So that's how I tie in the fourR's to my philosophy.
(20:25):
For sure, that's awesome man.
Mr. Ray (20:27):
Yeah, that's good stuff .
After you graduated, you guyswent to school.
There's a program we have wherewe reach out Alumni program.
Yeah, so tell us a little bitabout that.
Mr. Chapman (20:36):
Expand on that for the listeners.
Yeah, so alumni program wasfirst with the.
I remember Mr Cameron Barnes.
He was the first graduatingclass once he went by he now
works for, like the ObamaFoundation or something like
that.
Right, shout out to him.
But I remember, Mr Barnes.
I remember being kicked out ofYoungstown for grades right.
My first semester I ended up inJuco in Minnesota, somewhere Mr
(21:02):
Barnes reached out to me, youknow, asked me how I'm doing
everything, okay, grades, good,like.
What do you need?
Are you coming back?
And et cetera.
So just having the alumniprogram as a resource for
someone checking on me, makingsure I'm straight, hearing a
brother that I shared the samehallways with you know what I'm
saying.
Now, hold this position.
Checking on me, make sure I'mstraight.
Mr. Ray (21:22):
I get goosebumps.
You saying that, like I canthink about the times I was in
school and I didn't have that.
Correct, you know what I mean?
I didn't have that.
All I have is my mama.
Correct, you know what I mean?
Like man, like the world needsto know that.
You know, like they need toknow what Urban Prep does.
That's like next level.
Not only do we make sure 100%of our kids get accepted, but no
(21:44):
, after they're in school we'rethere with a lifeline.
Like that is huge.
Tell us about it, yourexperience in school.
Mr. Harris (21:52):
How did that relate with you?
I had a similar experience,actually, but it serves as a
network.
You know it serves as a network.
This is a foundation, this is acorporation, this is a
brotherhood.
So you know every holiday, youknow they have an alumni event.
So you know, as far as in highschool, you only know the four
(22:13):
years that you know.
You know the people that youwent to school with, but now you
get to come to this Urban Prepalumni event.
So, for instance, I graduatedin 2013.
Now I get to meet brothers thatcame after me Right and before
you and before me, right, but mypersonal experience with it,
urban Prep, saved me.
(22:34):
Urban Prep saved me.
It was a resource for me.
I ended up getting dismissedfrom college as well after my
junior year.
Just wasn't making the rightdecisions as far as academics,
just you know, just being a kid.
MUSIC (22:47):
You know, still being a kid, wasn't really?
Mr. Harris (22:49):
yeah, 19, wasn't really going into that adulthood
and being a man yet.
So I reached out.
I reached out, you know, andthey specifically missed a boy,
you know, shout out to Mr Boyd,but I spent a lot of time with
him, you know came to theheadquarters, we set a game plan
in place, you know, and we putit in force.
See, and it worked.
See what I'm saying.
I got back in school, I got myscholarship back and God is I
(23:11):
finished.
Mr. Ray (23:11):
See, that's what's up, man.
MUSIC (23:13):
Burp, burp, burp, burp.
You ready for it?
Mr. Ray (23:18):
Hey, this is Reggie Ray .
This is the what's Up Podcast.
We are here in Chicago reppingUrban Prep.
We have two alumni here tellingus about the fantastic things
they have done and are doinghere at Urban Prep.
I am Reggie Ray, I'm your host,I have Mr Chapman and Mr Harris
here and we are Urban Prep andwe believe let's go With.
(23:40):
That being said, tell us alittle bit about what do you see
yourself doing here with UrbanPrep going down the line.
Talk to us about it.
Mr. Harris (23:51):
At first it's just sharing love.
Just within my background, I'ma sociology major and it just so
happened that I was put inplace to be the SEL instructor,
aka the pride teacher.
My goal is to pour into them.
My goal is to pour into them,educate them.
You know how education goes.
(24:11):
We have a lot of educators outthere that really don't pour
into our kids.
So that's my biggest thing.
It's draining, but I love it.
Mr. Ray (24:21):
I pour into them.
Mr. Harris (24:22):
My goal is to keep pouring into them love education
and guidance, for sure thatguy's good tell me about you
what you feel.
Mr. Ray (24:30):
Chapman, for sure your guy's good.
Mr. Chapman (24:32):
Yeah, man, tell me about you, what you feel,
chapman, for sure this year forme, being a father of a
six-year-old going into my nextchild for sure, Talk about it.
Just patience, having patiencewith my young man, understanding
where they're coming from butalso knowing where they're
coming from.
You know what I'm saying.
I have a great relationshipwith all parents.
(24:55):
That's in my school.
I'm sorry that.
Trust us that young man, it'sgreat to have parents reach out
to you on a regular basis.
Yeah, does it get frustrating?
Et cetera.
It can be.
You know you're on yourweekends and they're calling you
, it's after hours and they'recalling you.
However, just knowing that theyhave an outlet at the school,
that they trust and know andthat they know they can call you
(25:18):
know what I'm saying.
Mr. Ray (25:19):
Hey, I got to tell you something, brother, you're doing
something special.
I appreciate you, brother.
I'm telling you Listen, ain'tnobody.
Hey, you doing somethingspecial, bro, appreciate you
brother.
Man that is awesome theyreaching out to you.
Mr. Chapman (25:31):
That's important, man, because you doing something
special man, that's importantman.
Mr. Ray (25:34):
Having that relationship with parents is my
philosophy again and I'm goingto take a page out your book and
I was just talking to someonethis weekend and I said the next
thing I need to do to improvemyself is start calling parents
when the students do somethinggood.
Mr. Chapman (25:51):
Good, yes, sir.
Mr. Ray (25:52):
Absolutely.
Mr. Harris (25:53):
Yes, sir.
Mr. Ray (25:54):
And I started.
Yesterday I called a kid'sparent because man, this young
man, shout out to Mr Johnson,jay Johnson, he's just been
exceptional.
Yes, sir, starting in the class, sitting down being locked in
If he's not finished asking tostay getting it done right.
Just the presentation, justbeing locked in, man, that's the
flowers man, that's the flowers.
Mr. Chapman (26:16):
Once you like.
Just today, one of my studentsshout out to Mr Anderson, one of
my juniors beginning of theyear, suspension, suspension,
suspension.
Just wasn't doing what's askedof him.
You understand what I'm saying.
He's been on the up and up.
I talk to his teachers.
They praise him.
You know what I'm saying.
They say oh, I'm coming in theclassroom like yeah, deion, I
(26:38):
don't know about Mr Anderson andthis, and that they're like no,
he good, he doing great.
That's shocking me.
You, you see what I'm saying,because I only see what I see
sometimes.
You know what I'm saying.
So I definitely wrote him agold tie and he got it today.
But I had to pull him to theside and tell him, like you know
what I'm saying, I'm proud ofyou, like, I see you.
I might not tell you all thetime, you know what I'm saying.
You might not get the accolades, but I wrote that for you.
(27:03):
You, those are the flowers thatI want.
You know what I'm saying.
Students turning around anddoing something good for
themselves.
You know what I'm saying.
Not for me, that's awesome, sofor sure.
Mr. Ray (27:15):
What skills do you think that you've developed to
really help you with the kidsevery?
Mr. Harris (27:18):
day man.
Like Mr Chapman said, patience,definitely patience.
I have a young girl myself.
I have a four-year-old daughter.
Whew, whew, it's tough.
It's tough man.
It's teaching me patience.
We come in as educators, wecome in with our baggage, we
come in with our mess, our life.
(27:39):
We have a life outside ofteaching these students.
They have a life outside ofbeing students.
It just teaches me to have thepatience and more understanding
when I do that and and I sitdown okay, let me not fight fire
or fire, let me sit down andlet me breathe, let me see
what's going on with him.
Mr. Ray (27:56):
Yeah, that's something I do before they come into class
.
I line them up and I call atemperature check.
Mr. Harris (28:00):
Check in, yeah we got to check in every day.
Mr. Ray (28:02):
Man, but you'll find, you know, I catch a few Because
sometimes our kids havesituations, like you said,
outside of school.
Yeah.
Mr. Harris (28:10):
You know what I mean .
Mr. Ray (28:11):
And you can see it sometimes.
So you know, I grab them, pullthem to the side and say, hey,
man, you cool, you can see it ontheir face.
Mr. Chapman (28:16):
Yeah, you can feel it, you can feel it too.
Mr. Ray (28:18):
What you need, we got you.
You know, yep, yes sir, yes sir, here at Urban them up, making
them strong young men,well-rounded young men,
absolutely.
We got our creed, we have allof our rituals that we do that
help to formulate and buildthese young men.
That's what brought you heretoday, that's what motivates me
every day.
Come on, I mean, I love it,that's good you know what I mean
, and it wasn't something I setout for.
(28:40):
It's a scary thing, yeah, whenI think about it.
Cap on it.
What I went to school for isthis Wow, that deep.
And the other thing too, right,we haven't talked about it, but
100% college acceptance, all ofour students.
I don't know if I dialed in onthat, but let's not let that be
(29:01):
glazed over.
Mr. Chapman (29:02):
No, for sure.
Mr. Ray (29:04):
Our kids are accepted in college.
Mr. Chapman (29:07):
It's a beautiful thing to know, like Ms Lacewell
always says, that you have anoption.
You know what I'm saying.
It might not be the option foryou, and that's fine, but to
have that option to have anacceptance letter from a college
that's 300, 400 miles away, youknow what I'm saying that's an
accomplishment that each andevery young person should have
(29:27):
some type of growth for it.
You understand what I'm saying,but it's not to be glazed over.
However, I would say are we theonly school doing it?
No, but we going to make surethat we, the school that blasts
it out there, you know what I'msaying Showing that we care
about young men, Showing thatthey are doing great in this
(29:49):
world.
There's plenty of schools shoutout to all these high schools
out here that have 100% collegeacceptances, having students
doing dual enrollment programs.
Shout out to them.
You know what I'm saying.
I'm not taking nothing fromthem, but Urban Prep is going to
make sure we show everyoneexactly what we're doing.
Mr. Ray (30:06):
And we're taking a step forward.
Mr. Chapman (30:07):
Taking a step forward, and that's okay.
Mr. Ray (30:08):
We're taking a step forward, that's okay, you all
are proof of it.
Come on, you know Absolutely.
When you struggled in college,who could you turn to?
Yes, sir Urban Prep.
Yeah, you know Now who's doingthat.
Are they doing that at St Rita?
I don, I know we're doing ithere at.
Mr. Chapman (30:25):
Urban Prep in.
Mr. Ray (30:26):
Englewood, in Chicago and Bronzeville, and we've been
doing it now for what?
19 years?
We're working on 20, right, Igot the number right.
Right, yeah, 20.
We all the way up.
We all the way up Because webelieve, let's go, come on.
MUSIC (30:38):
Let's talk.
Mr. Ray (30:43):
With that being said, this is Urban Prep.
I am your host.
I am your host.
I am Reggie Ray, civics teacherhere at Urban Prep.
I have the pleasure to besitting with two fabulous young
men, mr Harris and Mr Chapman,who graduated from Urban Prep,
who've come back and given backto our kids in a fabulous way.
A fabulous way, guys, before wego, what do you have to give?
What do you want to?
Mr. Harris (31:03):
say About 100%.
I think I was going to say,like a lot of institutions, they
focus on completion, that wouldbe 7th, 8th grade, even before
high school.
They focus on graduatingGraduating class 7th 8th grade,
graduating class from highschool, graduating class from
college but it's about the on tothe next.
We focus on something that wedon't have to.
(31:25):
The purpose of a high school isto get your high school diploma
period.
You come to high school, get ahigh school diploma, but we
focus on on to the next andfollowing you and seeing what
you're going to do.
But, like Mr Chapman said, youhave the option.
You have the option to go tocollege.
The consistency is just amazing.
You know, I come back and it'sthe same.
(31:45):
It's the consistency, it'samazing.
I come back and it's the same.
It's the consistency, with thatfocus on getting these young
men accepted into a four-yearuniversity college.
That's powerful, that's justreal powerful.
Mr. Chapman (31:58):
Let me take it a step further.
The incentives they have to doto get they written gold ties.
You know what I'm saying.
I believe this year or twoyears they now make our seniors
registered voters.
MUSIC (32:13):
Yes, that's big, that's dope man, that's big.
Well, you know, we all on it.
Mr. Chapman (32:16):
That's big.
You know what I'm saying.
Like these brothers aren'tvoting, these brothers aren't
voting before they go off intocollege.
My kids, man, they have aresponsibility.
Mr. Ray (32:24):
I had them write a bill .
They wrote a bill against.
You know, they got these kidsthat are making these ghost guns
, Okay.
And then there's another weapon.
I'm not a big weapon guy, soplease forgive me I forget the
acronyms.
It's LCFD or something likethat, some automatic clip thing.
But they wrote this piece oflegislation.
It's fabulous.
So I've got Senator NapoleonHarris to come up here.
(32:49):
I want to see it.
Mr. Harris (32:50):
Wow, that's big man Congrats, that's big.
Mr. Ray (32:53):
I try every year to get someone in here so they can
talk to and see what they can beand what's available to them,
and that civics is a whole otherbranch that schools don't offer
.
It's big and that points backto our creed, because we have
responsibility to who Family,family.
Mr. Harris (33:10):
Community World.
Mr. Ray (33:12):
That's what we build here at Urban Prep Academies.
Yes, sir.
So before we go for all thoseout there, we want to recite
what we're proud to have as ourcreed.
You guys ready for it?
Don't worry, come on.
So let's give it to them infull right.
So you have a pride that youbelong to.
You have one that you belong to.
I represent a pride.
We're going to announce ourpride and we're going to do it.
Mr. Chapman (33:35):
Mr Chapman, class of 2013,.
Pride of relentlessness.
Mr. Harris (33:39):
Mr Harris, class of 2013,.
Mr. Ray (33:41):
Pride of integrity, Mr Ray class of 2025, pride of
accountability.
Mr. Chapman (33:49):
We believe we are the young men of urban prep
Class of 2025.
Pride of accountability webelieve we are the young men of
urban prep.
We are college bound, we areexceptional.
Mr. Harris (33:55):
Not because we said, because we work hard at it.
Mr. Ray (33:58):
We will not falter in the face of any obstacle placed
before us we are dedicatedcommitted and focused.
Mr. Harris (34:02):
We never succumb to bureaucracy uncertainty or fear
we never, fail.
We never give up.
We make no excuses.
We choose to live honestlynonviolently and honorably.
Mr. Ray (34:12):
We respect ourselves.
Mr. Harris (34:13):
In doing so we respect all people.
Mr. Ray (34:15):
We have a future we are accountable.
Mr. Harris (34:17):
We have a responsibility to our families
communities and the world.
We are brothers, keepers.
We believe in ourselves, webelieve in each other.
Mr. Ray (34:24):
We believe in our prep.
We believe let's go baby.
Okay, ladies and gentlemen, Iam Reggie Ray.
This is the what's Up Podcasthere at Urban Prep Academies in
Inglewood, chicago.
Our other camp is Bronzeville.
We want to say thank you forlistening and remember we are
here for your children.
(34:44):
Urban Prep Academies.
Thank you so much.
MUSIC (34:48):
That's it today for the what's Up Podcast with Urban
Prep Academies.
Thank, kindness and respect.
We believe, believe in UrbanPrep.
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