BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 X-WR-CALNAME:51stannualcobaannualblackch X-WR-CALDESC:Event Calendar METHOD:PUBLISH CALSCALE:GREGORIAN PRODID:-//Sched.com 51st Annual COBA Annual Black Child Conference and Scholarship Awards//EN X-WR-TIMEZONE:UTC BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260420T184809Z DTSTART:20260418T143000Z DTEND:20260418T153000Z SUMMARY:Registration/ Continental Breakfast DESCRIPTION:Welcome to the 51st Annual Black Child Conference and Scholarship Awards! This year's theme is "Reimagining the Table: Cultivating Excellence in Every Seat". \; We are so glad you decided to join us\, and we know you will have a wonderful day of networking and celebrating our Scholarship recipients!\n\nPlease visit the Registration table between 7:30 AM and 8:30 AM on Saturday\, April 18\, 2026\, to receive your conference badge and attendee swag bag. After you check in\, please enjoy a continental breakfast.\n\nOur Scholarship Awards will begin promptly at 8:45 am. CATEGORIES:REGISTRATION LOCATION:Los Angeles Trade Tech College SEQUENCE:0 UID:3c24a81135d3909cc03623708b757404 URL:http://51stannualcobaannualblackch.sched.com/event/3c24a81135d3909cc03623708b757404 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260420T184809Z DTSTART:20260418T154500Z DTEND:20260418T164500Z SUMMARY:COBA Scholarships / AEMP Awards DESCRIPTION:Please join us for the main session where we will recognize this year's scholarship recipients! CATEGORIES:SCHOLARSHIPS LOCATION:Los Angeles Trade Tech College SEQUENCE:0 UID:6901798c6d414320d8599997b37b3b98 URL:http://51stannualcobaannualblackch.sched.com/event/6901798c6d414320d8599997b37b3b98 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260420T184809Z DTSTART:20260418T170000Z DTEND:20260418T183000Z SUMMARY:Breakout Sessions DESCRIPTION:\n CATEGORIES: LOCATION:Los Angeles Trade Tech College SEQUENCE:0 UID:342db4a52df94ba85a269f1e31f2598b URL:http://51stannualcobaannualblackch.sched.com/event/342db4a52df94ba85a269f1e31f2598b END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260420T184809Z DTSTART:20260418T170000Z DTEND:20260418T183000Z SUMMARY:Affirming Talent and Well-Being: Unpacking the Factors Driving Academic and Career Attainment for African American Girls and Women DESCRIPTION:Abstract \;\nAfrican American women and girls have shown notable academic and career gains\, yet research on their success factors is limited. This workshop affirms historical and contemporary factors—like aptitude\, home\, mentors\, quality instruction\, and time use—that sustain their achievement. The workshop will highlight evidence-based solutions\, providing participants with a practical toolkit to foster their academic talent and well-being. This workshop is for superintendents\, administrators\, teachers\, and other stakeholders supporting Black girls and women. \;\n\n\nSession Proposal \;\n\n\nKeywords: Academic talent development\, mixed methods\, African American female faculty\n\n\nWhile African American women have demonstrated significant increases in the attainment of doctoral degrees—particularly in education and law (National Center for Educational Statistics\, 2016)—comprehensive research examining their longitudinal\, life-span academic talent development remains limited (McNeely\, Cobham\, & Patton\, 2015). This workshop session investigates how the intersection of school\, home\, and extracurricular time affects \;the academic trajectories of tenured and tenure-track African American women at U.S. research universities.\n\n\nThe theoretical framework for this inquiry is the Productive Giftedness Model (PGM)\, which offers a robust lens for analyzing talent development from pre-K through career stages (Paik\, 2013\, 2015). The PGM is a 10-factor model organized into three primary categories: Individual Aptitude (ability\, motivation\, development)\, Instructional Factors (quality and quantity of instruction\, school climate)\, and Environmental Factors (home\, mentors\, peers\, and extracurricular time). A central tenet of the PGM is that these factors are largely alterable and can be intentionally adjusted to optimize academic outcomes. Furthermore\, the model incorporates critical contextual variables—including race\, age\, and historical background—to illuminate how specific circumstances influence the development of academic excellence (Paik\, 2013\, 2015\; Paik et al.\, 2019).\n\n\nThis research employs a mixed-methods approach to examine the multifaceted influences of family\, school\, and use of extracurricular time on life-span talent development. This methodology facilitates an in-depth understanding of participants' lived experiences while using quantitative measures to efficiently collect foundational data (Creswell\, 2017). The qualitative components are particularly essential for capturing the voices of populations traditionally underrepresented in educational research (Creswell\, 2016). Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval was secured from Claremont Graduate University prior to the commencement of data collection (Marshall Harper\, 2023).\n\n\nPreliminary findings indicate that school\, home\, and extracurricular time usage serve as pivotal sites for academic talent development (Clayton\, 2017\; Fredricks & Eccles\, 2006\; Lavy & Schlosser\, 2007). Participants specifically identified rigorous learning environments\, knowledgeable and invested caregivers\, and the structured utilization of extracurricular time as the primary drivers of their academic success (Clayton\, 2017\; Fredricks & Eccles\, 2006).\n\n\nThe implications of this research suggest a critical need for educators to reevaluate advanced curricula and enrichment programs to ensure equitable access and long-term sustainability for African American female students. Furthermore\, ongoing professional development must address educator dispositions and implicit biases regarding the intellectual capacity of African American females. Within the domestic sphere\, the findings suggest that home structures should ideally mirror and reinforce the academic rigor of school environments. Finally\, integrating academic\, artistic\, and athletic clubs into formal student schedules—alongside cultivating community partnerships with local businesses and universities—is recommended to expand educational opportunities into real-world contexts (Marshall Harper\, 2023).\n\n\nThe potential impact of this workshop session lies in its ability to inform equitable recruitment and retention policies by identifying the specific environmental supports that accelerate the academic trajectories of African American women. By challenging existing biases and promoting a comprehensive community-based support network\, this research seeks to bridge the gap between educational institutions and the broader social economy\, fostering an inclusive landscape for academic talent development.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n CATEGORIES:COMMON LOCATION:Los Angeles Trade Tech College SEQUENCE:0 UID:c24087348d2ab9f5d20f874765ea0bbb URL:http://51stannualcobaannualblackch.sched.com/event/c24087348d2ab9f5d20f874765ea0bbb END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260420T184809Z DTSTART:20260418T170000Z DTEND:20260418T183000Z SUMMARY:Building Accountable Spaces: Creating Conditions for Shared Values\, Collective Responsibility\, and Equity-Centered Leadership DESCRIPTION:Accountability in schools is often experienced as compliance-driven\, unevenly applied\, or rooted in fear rather than growth. This session invites leaders to reimagine accountability through an equity-centered lens—as a collective practice grounded in shared values\, relational trust\, and a commitment to ensuring excellence for every student.\nLeaders will engage in a data-driven dialogue that brings student outcomes to the forefront while \;honestly \;examining opportunity gaps impacting Black student achievement. Together\, we will explore how power\, identity\, and positionality influence who is held accountable\, how harm is addressed\, and whose voices are centered in decision-making. Rather than reinforcing deficit narratives\, this session highlights how educators can leverage the cultural assets\, brilliance\, and strengths of Black students and their communities to drive meaningful change.\nThrough reflection\, collaborative dialogue\, and practical leadership tools\, participants will examine the conditions that make accountable spaces possible—where adults hold themselves and one another responsible for aligning actions with values\, naming impact\, and engaging in repair. Leaders will leave with concrete strategies to build accountable spaces that strengthen belonging\, disrupt inequitable patterns\, and elevate Black student excellence across classrooms\, schools\, and systems.  \;This workshop is a call to action for leaders not only to reimagine the table but also to build new ones—where Black brilliance is centered\, excellence is cultivated\, and every seat affirms the power and promise of our communities. CATEGORIES:COMMON LOCATION:Los Angeles Trade Tech College SEQUENCE:0 UID:d452b43286c439e1d47308167ffd5865 URL:http://51stannualcobaannualblackch.sched.com/event/d452b43286c439e1d47308167ffd5865 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260420T184809Z DTSTART:20260418T170000Z DTEND:20260418T183000Z SUMMARY:Cultivating Excellence In Every Seat: Through Poetry\, Music\, and Principles of Success! DESCRIPTION:“Cultivating Excellence in Every Seat!” This SEL (Social Emotional Learning) seminar is engaging\, educational\, and interactive!  \;Participants will write\, illustrate\, recite\, and create poetry.  \;The Seminar shares Culturally Responsive Poetry\, Music\, and 12 Principles of Success.  \;\n \;\nThese Culturally Responsive Practices are ideal for all students.  \;It has been successfully implemented in the lives of many students within LACOE\, LAUSD\, LBUSD and UCI\, Gifted Student Academy.  \; We have documented increased academic performance\, elevated test scores\, improved attitude\, and behavior.\n \;\nParticipants in this seminar will leave with strategies\, and tools which they can implement into the classroom\, school site\, or district immediately!\n \;\nThis SEL session is engaging\, educational\, and interactive!  \;Participants will write\, illustrate\, recite\, and create poetry.  \; The Seminar shares Culturally Responsive Poetry\, Music\, and 12 Principles of Success.  \;The session will model Culturally Responsive Practices and Inclusive Practices for all students from K-12 grade!\n \;\nPoetry and Music are essential to the heart of each and every student.  \;When students create poetry and music\, it puts their heart on display in a creative and amazing way!  \;Students are empowered\, validated\, and celebrated for their thoughts\, creativity\, and courage to share things that are near and dear to their heart.  \;This session will share some incredible stories and work samples from the heart of some awesome and amazing students. CATEGORIES:COMMON LOCATION:Los Angeles Trade Tech College SEQUENCE:0 UID:2325079b32e339f032285b8699a19410 URL:http://51stannualcobaannualblackch.sched.com/event/2325079b32e339f032285b8699a19410 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260420T184809Z DTSTART:20260418T170000Z DTEND:20260418T183000Z SUMMARY:Culture Is the Curriculum: Using the L.I.G.H.T. Model™ to Build Trust\, Shift Behavior\, and Drive Student Outcomes DESCRIPTION:Session Description \;Across LAUSD and beyond\, leaders are facing a reality that training alone can’t fix: rising dysregulation\, fractured trust\, chronic absenteeism\, staff burnout\, and inconsistent systems of accountability. In this climate\, culture isn’t a “soft” issue—it is the instructional environment. Whether we name it or not\, culture is teaching students and adults every day: what safety feels like\, what standards mean\, what identity is worth\, and what success looks like.\nIn this session\, K-Rahn Vallatine equips participants with the L.I.G.H.T. Model™—a practical\, trauma-informed framework for strengthening school climate and improving outcomes through mindset shift and daily leadership moves. Attendees will learn how to build emotional safety without lowering expectations\, reduce power struggles and repeat incidents\, and create consistent structures that increase engagement and belonging. Participants will leave with clear language\, actionable strategies\, and a culture-reset approach they can apply immediately in classrooms\, offices\, and schoolwide systems.\nLearning Outcomes \;Participants will be able to:\nIdentify how culture shapes behavior\, achievement\, and staff/student trust—often more than curriculum alone.Apply the L.I.G.H.T. Model™ to address dysregulation\, disengagement\, and resistance with clarity and consistency.Use practical tools to strengthen emotional safety while maintaining high expectations and accountability.Implement “next-day” strategies to improve climate\, reduce recurring conflict\, and support sustainable staff effectiveness.\n\n CATEGORIES:COMMON LOCATION:Los Angeles Trade Tech College SEQUENCE:0 UID:87f14a6be91f38863c60aa8cd2c2cb77 URL:http://51stannualcobaannualblackch.sched.com/event/87f14a6be91f38863c60aa8cd2c2cb77 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260420T184809Z DTSTART:20260418T170000Z DTEND:20260418T183000Z SUMMARY:Excellence Without Exhaustion: A Guided Learning & Design Framework for Supporting Black Students Through Postsecondary Transitions DESCRIPTION:Across California\, educators\, counselors\, and community partners are deeply committed to ensuring Black students successfully transition from high school into college\, career\, and training pathways. Through practitioner-led dissertation research grounded in California school contexts\, a central question emerged: What kinds of support help Black students persist toward ambitious postsecondary goals while sustaining confidence and well-being along the way?\nThis session introduces the Guided Learning & Design Framework (GLDF)\, a practice-informed model developed through research examining how Black students experience guidance\, decision-making\, and support during the postsecondary planning process. The framework integrates insights from student voice\, counseling practice\, learning science\, and emerging forms of continuous support to better understand how young people maintain momentum through complex milestones.\nGLDF highlights how students benefit when postsecondary planning combines structured guidance\, opportunities for agency and reflection\, and consistent encouragement across key transition moments. The framework also considers how thoughtfully designed tools — including AI-enabled supports — can extend organization\, reassurance\, and access to information between educator interactions\, helping students remain engaged without increasing pressure or replacing human relationships.\nRather than introducing a new initiative\, this session offers educators a shared framework for recognizing and strengthening practices already present within California schools and communities. Participants will explore how GLDF can help align academic preparation\, emotional readiness\, and future planning so that Black students are able to pursue excellence without unnecessary exhaustion. CATEGORIES:COMMON LOCATION:Los Angeles Trade Tech College SEQUENCE:0 UID:1b1a3a603036cae46e3fcbdcb440f5ef URL:http://51stannualcobaannualblackch.sched.com/event/1b1a3a603036cae46e3fcbdcb440f5ef END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260420T184809Z DTSTART:20260418T170000Z DTEND:20260418T183000Z SUMMARY:He Is Not a Gladiator: 4 Shifts to Interrupt Academic Neglect\, DESCRIPTION:Across California\, boys represent 68% of K–3 suspensions. Only 24% of 11th-grade boys are reading above standard. Fewer than half meet college readiness requirements. The numbers don’t lie — but they don’t tell the whole story either.\n\n\nThis session moves beyond statistics and into truth.\n\n\nIn He Is Not a Gladiator: 4 Shifts to Interrupt Academic Neglect\, Dr. Fletcher challenges educators to examine how systems unintentionally neglect boys before they suspend them. Participants will confront hard data\, reflect on their own roles in perpetuating or disrupting academic neglect\, and learn four transformative shifts that reframe how we see\, teach\, and lead boys. \; CATEGORIES:COMMON LOCATION:Los Angeles Trade Tech College SEQUENCE:0 UID:e5db1690c2f513d2f1a21eba74b3b1c1 URL:http://51stannualcobaannualblackch.sched.com/event/e5db1690c2f513d2f1a21eba74b3b1c1 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260420T184809Z DTSTART:20260418T170000Z DTEND:20260418T183000Z SUMMARY:Small Books\, Big Impact: Build Reading Joy and Improve Academic Success with High-Interest Novellas DESCRIPTION:Small Books\, Big Impact: Build Reading Joy and Improve Academic Success with High-Interest Novellas \;is a high-impact professional learning workshop addressing a growing issue in secondary classrooms: students start books but don’t finish them and achievement suffers as a result. The session demonstrates how strategically integrating high-interest novellas (70–150 pages) can rebuild reading volume and stamina without lowering rigor\, leading to stronger vocabulary development\, analytical thinking\, writing endurance\, and improved state and AP performance.\n\n\nParticipants learn how novellas function as a scalable\, equity-centered literacy strategy: powering independent reading\, accelerating book clubs\, redesigning summer reading\, and supporting both intervention and enrichment. Through data analysis\, reflection on student motivation\, and an interactive “novella tasting” featuring an excerpt from \;Remembering Love \;by Latrice L. Washington\, educators leave with concrete implementation plans and ready-to-use resources.\n\n\nBig takeaway: \;Small books remove barriers\, increase completion\, and drive rigorous\, joyful literacy outcomes\, especially for historically underserved students. CATEGORIES:COMMON LOCATION:Los Angeles Trade Tech College SEQUENCE:0 UID:10890135a54893eec0e152b06174c922 URL:http://51stannualcobaannualblackch.sched.com/event/10890135a54893eec0e152b06174c922 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260420T184809Z DTSTART:20260418T184500Z DTEND:20260418T193000Z SUMMARY:Lunch DESCRIPTION:\n CATEGORIES: LOCATION:Los Angeles Trade Tech College SEQUENCE:0 UID:a39dfa9de4c6b346fcca0ec4860b000c URL:http://51stannualcobaannualblackch.sched.com/event/a39dfa9de4c6b346fcca0ec4860b000c END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260420T184809Z DTSTART:20260418T193000Z DTEND:20260418T210000Z SUMMARY:Afternoon Key Note Address: Dr. Bettina L. Love DESCRIPTION:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n CATEGORIES:KEYNOTE ADDRESS LOCATION:Los Angeles Trade Tech College SEQUENCE:0 UID:2ee91504f514f1ce61b95c28b5e2e250 URL:http://51stannualcobaannualblackch.sched.com/event/2ee91504f514f1ce61b95c28b5e2e250 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260420T184809Z DTSTART:20260418T210000Z DTEND:20260418T220000Z SUMMARY:Closing DESCRIPTION:\n CATEGORIES: LOCATION:Los Angeles Trade Tech College SEQUENCE:0 UID:60682efbf85ef33fce5e17e72e6115a5 URL:http://51stannualcobaannualblackch.sched.com/event/60682efbf85ef33fce5e17e72e6115a5 END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR