Junior Bernadin, Ron Clark Academy's Black excellence recognized by White House
By Rashad Milligan Mar 05, 2022
Ron Clark Academy has made a national splash again.
The southeast Atlanta middle school’s dean of students, Junior Bernadin, received special recognition from the White House. On Feb. 8, President Joe Biden named 117 teachers, mentors and mentoring organizations as recipients of the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring. He is believed to be the first Haitian-American to receive the honor, according to the school’s press release.
“I am honored to have the privilege of representing the best STEM mentors in the nation who continuously invest in the lives of both students and teachers,” Bernadin said, according to the press release. “As a Haitian-American born in Little Haiti, this prestigious honor is more than just an award. It is an opportunity to share best STEM practices with educators worldwide and show my students that representation matters in the STEM field.”
The educator has also been featured as one of the Learning Top 100 Leaders in Education, the Atlanta Business Chronicle 40 Under 40, Georgia Trend Magazine’s 40 Under 40 and has been selected for the Forbes Technology Council.
In addition to his skills, credentials and impressive qualifications for his roles as the school’s dean of students, IT director and house system expert, Bernadin is a high-energy employee who has even shown off his dance moves on a couple of occasions around the school. When Bernadin’s latest accomplishment was announced, confetti went off as all the students surrounding him instantly rushed to hug the beloved educator. His charisma appears to draw a genuine connection to him and the Ron Clark Academy students, which is 96 percent Black according to greaterschools.org.
Biden expressed his appreciation for the role all 117 STEM mentors played in the White House’s official announcement.
“PAESMEM recognizes mentors for their efforts to inspire and encourage individuals from underserved and underrepresented communities in STEM and their efforts to ensure that all Americans can fully participate in science, mathematics and technology regardless of gender, race, resources or geography,” Biden said in the announcement. “The dedication these individuals and organizations have demonstrated to prepare students for careers in STEM fields, during what has been a difficult time for teachers, students, and families, plays a huge role in American innovation and competitiveness. The work that teachers and mentors do ensures that our nation’s children are able to unlock — for themselves and all of us — a world of possibilities.”
