CASE STUDY
MEDIA RELATIONS & THOUGHT LEADERSHIP: EAGLE ACADEMY
The Challenge
Propelled by the fact that Black and brown boys graduate from the New York City Public Schools at a rate of 38% and a report finding that 75% of New York State’s entire prison population came from just seven neighborhoods in New York City, Mayor Michael
Bloomberg, Senator Hillary Clinton, the nonprofit One Hundred Black Men of New York and David Banks led the charge to found the first Eagle Academy for Young Men in the Bronx. The academy was an all-boys public school dedicated to addressing low graduation rates and combating the school-to-prison pipeline.
Now a successful network of six schools from 6th to 12th grade, one in each New York City borough and a sixth in Newark, NJ, the Eagle Academy for Young Men Schools and the Eagle Academy Foundation are game-changing nonprofit organizations educating thousands of Black and brown young men in New York City and across the country. The Foundation hired The TASC Group to promote its successful education model regionally and nationally and to boost the profile of its president and CEO, David Banks, positioning him as a national educational thought leader and an eventual contender for Chancellor of New York City’s public schools.
The Challenge
Propelled by the fact that Black and brown boys graduate from the New York City Public Schools at a rate of 38% and a report finding that 75% of New York State’s entire prison population came from just seven neighborhoods in New York City, Mayor Michael
Bloomberg, Senator Hillary Clinton, the nonprofit One Hundred Black Men of New York and David Banks led the charge to found the first Eagle Academy for Young Men in the Bronx. The academy was an all-boys public school dedicated to addressing low graduation rates and combating the school-to-prison pipeline.
Now a successful network of six schools from 6th to 12th grade, one in each New York City borough and a sixth in Newark, NJ, the Eagle Academy for Young Men Schools and the Eagle Academy Foundation are game-changing nonprofit organizations educating thousands of Black and brown young men in New York City and across the country. The Foundation hired The TASC Group to promote its successful education model regionally and nationally and to boost the profile of its president and CEO, David Banks, positioning him as a national educational thought leader and an eventual contender for Chancellor of New York City’s public schools.
The Strategy
TASC worked to package the stories of local students, their families, teachers, principals and the schools that were changing educational outcomes throughout New York City and around the country. The strategy also positioned Banks as a subject matter expert and national educational reformer. TASC inserted Banks into national conversations on education and NYC politics, including by crafting and placing op-eds in top publications such as The 74, New York Daily News and Crain’s New York Business. The team drafted and distributed statements from Banks on educational policy at the local and national level and promoted the Eagle Academy model on the national stage to over 100 school districts. TASC translated Banks’ vision for the school system into crisp messaging and put together thorough policy documents outlining Banks’ recommendations for tackling hot-button education issues. Banks went on to present these documents to then-candidate Eric Adams as the head of his educational policy team.
The Results
TASC generated media coverage that positioned Banks as a local and national thought leader on educational equity and elevated Eagle Academy as a premier model for educating young men of color. TASC generated 300+ media placements for Banks and Eagle in print, broadcast and online outlets both nationally and locally. TASC secured thought leadership opportunities for Banks in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and Chalkbeat, solidifying him as a go-to source on education issues. In December 2021, David Banks was selected to serve as New York City Schools Chancellor. TASC coordinated media around his appointment and secured an abundance of positive coverage. Banks’ appointment was covered in a feature piece by The New York Times, national publications like the Associated Press and Bloomberg and leading education publications such as Chalkbeat. Banks appeared on MSNBC’s Morning Joe and on all local TV networks. This influx of positive coverage and TASC’s extensive messaging work allowed Chancellor Banks to begin his tenure at the New York City Public Schools on a strong footing.
MEDIA COVERAGE
