HBCU News - Detroit principal teaches students about character, opportunity

By Darren A. Nichols

It’s very rare that a high school principal would spend his spring break around his students, but that’s what Bryant Tipton did.

Tipton — the principal of Pershing High School in the Detroit Public Schools Community District — spent a part of his break with his students on a tour of Historically Black College and Universities. The group of 26 students visited seven HBCU campuses by bus.

For senior Dakayla Williams, the trip was a life-changing experience. As a mixed-race student, Dakayla was unsure if she would be accepted at an HBCU. After visiting the campuses, that changed. She’s now considering an HBCU for college.

“After visiting these HBCUs and seeing how diverse it is within the campus … There’s all these different types of races that all mingle together. It’s a mix,” says Williams, who is leaning toward Kentucky State University.

Tipton and his staff are working vigorously to change the lives of the more than 400 students at the east side school.

The college tour is the latest community initiative that the school has taken on, such as shutting down a shop in the neighborhood that police said was selling illegal substances to students, finding housing and a car for a family that was displaced and installing a washer and dryer in the school for students to use.

I’ve been watching Tipton’s work and vowing to write about his accomplishments — before other media outlets learn of them — for the past few months. But the HBCU tour, funded by the Detroit Athletic Club, was so unique for a principal that it felt like the right circumstance to highlight what he and his staff have done.

“Giving the kids the opportunity to go and see exactly what it’s like was life changing for a lot of them,” Tipton says. “Our kids had a phenomenal time. I mean, it was amazing.”

A friendly smile, a helping hand

It wasn’t hard for Tipton’s work at Pershing to stay on my radar. I’ve known Tipton since we were teammates at a summer basketball camp about 40 years ago. We’ve remained friends since.

Basketball took Tipton to Tulsa University, where he played under legendary coach Tubby Smith. After earning his degree, Tipton returned to his alma mater, Cody High School, where he was the basketball coach and eventually became principal. (Tipton also earned his master’s and doctorate degrees along the way). He uses leadership and coaching skills to motivate his staff and students daily.

“We are extremely proud of Tipton’s leadership at Pershing,” said Chrystal Wilson, a DPSCD spokeswoman. “He continues to place students first and excel in the work despite challenges. We look forward to seeing his continued progress. He is leading a movement at Pershing and in the community.”

Tipton is representative of the countless DPSCD educators who seek daily to make a difference, knowing that inner-city children simply need more than academics to succeed.

Williams is a clear example. She’s been selected to serve as the Pershing representative on the Executive Youth Council for the district, which allows her to get out of her comfort zone and advocate for her school.

“I don’t like conflict, but having to advocate for what we need as a school and as individuals has been great,” Williams says.

It’s the little things she mentions about Tipton that stand out: It’s a simple nod or exchanging a few words that she remembers.

“For me, I like that if I see him in the hallway, I can greet him and he’ll greet me back,” Williams says. “It’s just a good little connection that we have.

“Mr. Tipton has been a really good support system. If I have problems that I see that I want to talk to him about, I’m not scared to just go up and talk to him. He’s very open to us on things and he’s very friendly.”

Tipton says his philosophy is about developing the whole child, which helps young people become more successful academically. Since he’s become principal, attendance rates at Pershing have improved from 64% to 78%, which has improved graduation rates. SAT scores have also gone up by 15%, Tipton says.

“With me, it (has) always been kids first,” Tipton says. “As we see the needs of children, a lot of people turn a blind eye to it. They are inner-city kids and a lot of times they just need that extra support or, as they say now, wraparound services.”

Tipton tells his more than 400 students all the time they can have the greatest grades in the world, but their character will take them further in life.

“Of course, it’s always a team effort. It’s not something that I’m just doing, but it’s a plan that I implemented,” Tipton says. “And luckily enough, I have a staff, a team that’s willing to follow that model, which is just to be the example for the kids. We are their example. We are very close, and it makes for a personal relationship where our kids know what to expect.”

Part of the neighborhood

That was the case last fall when Tipton noticed Chanprell Anderson’s daughter was missing school. After looking into the situation, he found the family was evicted from their home and was living with relatives and in a hotel.

That’s when he called several community stakeholders such as the Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries and Charles Ellis of Greater Grace Temple to give parent Anderson an SUV and a shopping spree.

A week later, those same groups gave Anderson, the mother of six, a refurbished home on the east side, which allowed the student to get to school easier.

Detroit Police Commissioner Darryl Woods and Say Detroit were also involved.

At the beginning of the school year, Pershing was selected to receive a washer and dryer under a pilot program to curb chronic absenteeism. More than a hundred schools will have the appliances by the end of the school year.

“That’s how those things come about, by people seeing what’s being done and seeing the passion that we all have for our kids,” Tipton says. “We’re there every day. We should be a part of something that happens in their neighborhood.

“I’m glad they are helping, because you can see it’s needed and it’s not something that we’re taking lightly or we’re taking for granted.”

‘A good character man’

Pershing’s alumni network is one of the strongest in Detroit. It has historically been a group that stays connected with the school and wants to be great, whether it’s in sports or other areas in the school.

Tipton helps to show what can be done when the community, students and staff collaborate in making their school better.

That doesn’t mean there won’t be occasional incidents that draw attention to the school, given what’s around them on Seven Mile and Ryan roads, a relatively high-crime area.

But it’s a starting point in improving our schools and nurturing our children.

“To be at a place where I know that they’re capable of doing great things gives me that energy to say, I want it to be where it was,” Tipton says. “We just want to model the behavior. You never know who’s watching. You know what I mean?”

It’s a model he told me he learned from my dad, Charles Nichols, when he oversaw Detroit Public Schools athletics. Tipton wasn’t super close to my dad, but he watched his actions from afar.

“Your dad, he never knew who was watching, but he’s going to carry himself in a manner that this is the blueprint” Tipton says. “And if this is the prototype, then you can follow this right here. And then that would help you, not with all of your life, because we all have different experiences. But it at least gives you an idea of what a good character man looks like.”