We had the honor to speak to SSP alumnus Darnell Yates, '97, about his full-circle story and how he is giving back to his community through education and mentorship. Darnell is the proud founder and CEO of Really Impacting K-12, Inc. and the Network-Director of Curriculum & Instruction at Great Oaks Legacy Charter School in Newark.
As an SSP student, he was given the opportunity to be paired with a professional business mentor who would expose him to a world outside of his own, from internship to career opportunities in NYC. Thanks to the support of his mentor, Darnell was able to experience working in Fortune 500 businesses as well as attend New York Knicks games. "These encounters were very impressive to me as a young lad from Harlem. My mentor served as a catapult to further drive my will to match my skillset to finish high school and attend an HBCU. Having a mentor and sponsor profoundly impacted my life by providing guidance, support, and opportunities for growth," Darnell explained.
The exposure gained from the support of his mentor helped to foster invaluable guidance, insights and perspectives to accelerate his personal and professional growth. "My mentor was not only a financial donor to me but also an influential person. He allowed me to attend a prestigious school in the south Bronx, which helped me to gain exposure and enhance my thinking early in life. This really changed my trajectory growing up in the '90s," said Darnell.
His mentor's guidance continues to play a significant role in how he matriculates as a parent, professor, and leader. Thanks to the opportunities given by SSP, Darnell is able to provide a private high school education for his son, Darnell Yates II, at his alma mater, Cardinal Hayes High School. Darnell emphasized that he has always pushed education and encouraged his son to strive for excellence. He said, "I did not have a choice but to excel. I could have never imagined that as a 14 year old, I would have a son that would share this legacy with me. The "Full-Circle'' moment I experienced resulted in my son being able to have a connection with me from a different perspective."
In 2021, Darnell wrote an autobiography dedicated to his life story and describes the obstacles and adversities he faced growing up. This year, he is going on a book tour to remind people of the importance of education and mentorship. In addition, Darnell is helping his son write his first book about his COVID-19 experience as a middle school student.
Rounding out the full-circle story, Darnell intends to serve as a mentor for two students from Cardinal Hayes in the years ahead. Darnell's message and words of encouragement to youth and future SSP recipients is to "remember that your zip code does not determine your altitude; your drive does”.
