Gesu School hosted its 21^st Annual Symposium on Transforming Inner-City Education on November 2, 2018. As a national model for inner-city education, Gesu School remains at the forefront of identifying new ways to better serve students across the country and sharing these key learnings. They symposium has been a time-honored tradition for these purposes. 

Steve Pemberton, c-suite executive for Globoforce, Walgreens Boots Alliance, and Monster.com, and best-selling author of A Chance in the World, now a major motion picture, gave a hope-filled keynote address on Everyday Heroes: Unveiling the Power of Educators.

The event centered on Pemberton's inspiring story of the heroes who guided him on his journey. As a boy, he defied seemingly impossible odds, navigating a foster care system and trying to solve the mystery of his own identity and destiny. To overcome his circumstances, he harnessed the impact of education and literacy and found invaluable everyday heroes in his life.

For Pemberton, “everyday heroes” demonstrate humility, strength, courage, and perseverance in the face of adversity. They teach life lessons. Pemberton encouraged more than 200 attendees from across the tri-state region—educational leaders, teachers, community members, supporters of inner-city education—to continue enabling children to see the possibilities for their lives.

Audience members engaged the speaker following the presentation, while Rev. Stephen D. Thorne, Gesu School Board Member and Pastor of St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church, moderated a vibrant discussion.

Gesu School hopes that the symposium will prompt a wider discussion on how to improve education for all of America’s inner-city children.

See event photos below and on Gesu School’s Facebook page.

Visit this page soon for video footage from the 2018 Gesu Symposium.

Learn more about past symposia and view video and transcripts.

Best-selling author and c-suite executive Steve Pemberton delivers the keynote address to more than 200 attendees at the 21^st Annual Gesu School Symposium on Transforming Inner-City Education.

The Gesu Gospel Choir shared the gift of their voices at the 21^st Annual Gesu School Symposium on Transforming Inner-City Education.

A lively Q&A session, moderated by Gesu Board Member Rev. Stephen D. Thorne, followed the keynote address at the 21^st Annual Gesu School Symposium on Transforming Inner-City Education.

At Gesu School’s November 2, 2018 Symposium on Transforming Inner-City Education with 8^th grade students and student council officers are: President and CEO of Gesu School Bryan Carter, Gesu Board Member Susan Martinelli Shea, Keynote Speaker and Best-Selling Author Steve Pemberton, Moderator and Gesu Board Member Rev. Stephen D. Thorne.

At the 2018 Gesu School Symposium, best-selling author and c-suite executive Steve Pemberton’s book signing for A Chance in the World, now a major motion picture on his life as a boy who defied seemingly impossible odds to overcome his circumstances.

Photos by Edward Savaria

Video footage by Josar Jones

Thank you to our generous sponsors!

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Always seeking to improve education for all of America’s inner-city children, Gesu School launched our Annual Symposium on Transforming Inner-City Education in 1997 to bring together funders, stakeholders, policymakers, and educators to tackle the tough issues in inner-city education today. From our first moderator, the late Tim Russert, to outstanding panelists like Stedman Graham, Joe Klein, and Paul Tough, the annual gathering brings together leading thinkers to stimulate productive conversation and energize us for our work in the field. In 2017, Gesu School received the inaugural Moral and Courageous Exemplar Urban Education Leadership Award from the Cabrini University Center for Urban Education, Equity, and Improvement for our 20-year commitment to hosting the Gesu Symposium. The symposium is another way that Gesu School strives for the Magis.