George Copeland is the Assistant Director for Cardinal Partnerships at Saginaw Valley State University, a former member of the Saginaw City Council, and a charter school alumnus. He attended Davis Ellis Academy in Detroit and North Saginaw Charter Academy before graduating from Bradford Academy in Southfield. He was the keynote speaker at this year’s Charter Day at the Capitol.
This is the inspirational speech he delivered on the steps of the Capitol.
My name is George Copeland, and I am privileged to serve as the Assistant Director for Cardinal Partnerships at Saginaw Valley State University. But more than any title or role, I stand before you as a proud product of Michigan charter schools.
My journey—my purpose—was sparked in the classrooms, hallways, and communities that make up the very charter system we are here to celebrate and advocate for today.
My family moved to Michigan in 1999. I was six years old and everything was new and unfamiliar to me. But my first school, David Ellis Academy in Detroit, Michigan, was a home and community for me. Later did I find out and they finally told my mom, but for the first month of school I cried every day because I did not know why I was in the state of Michigan. But teachers like Ms. Lydia Andrews, Bishop Ethan Sheard, Mr. Tyrone Herd, Ms. Talana Perry, and Ms. Sonia Southall nurtured me and became my community. They saw that scared little six-year-old and made him feel heard and loved. They showed me that school could be a second home, a safe place to grow, and a platform to dream. And that's what charter schools do. They create an environment where purpose can take root.
As I grew, I attended North Saginaw Charter Academy in Saginaw, Michigan, where I was exposed to the beauty of diversity and accessibility. It was there that I learned to connect with peers of different cultures, different beliefs, different religions and backgrounds. I experienced the richness of community and shared values.
Charter schools taught me that every student deserves a seat at the table, that our differences are strengths and not setbacks. And finally in high school, I attended Bradford Academy in Southfield, Michigan, and somewhere is Miss Callaway who's one of my former teachers. And while I was there, Mr. Fred Borowski, every morning he would play our bell song. It was a song called “Dream Big” and every morning you knew it was time to get to class because you would hear, “And when you dream, dream big. Dream as big as the ocean blue.” So every morning, Mr. Borowski started our day with that. And that
message told us to dream big. That simple phrase became a powerful truth in my life. Dreaming big does not mean accepting limitations. It meant believing that a kid like me, with a humble beginning and many questions, could grow into a man of purpose.
Mentors like Mr. Nic South and Andrei Nichols saw leadership in me. Before I saw it in myself, they pushed me to speak up, step forward, and believe that I had something to offer the world. I even received the Romine Group's first leadership scholarship because of their encouragement.
Today, as a professional working in higher education, I get to point to students who are just like me. At SVSU, I serve as what I like to call the purpose igniter for charter school students. I use my story of charter to fuel theirs. I walk beside them as they transition from high school to college, helping them to discover who they are and who they can become. That's the power of charter schools. We are not just educating students, we are shaping leaders. We are transforming lives and I am the living proof. But let's not just celebrate, we have to advocate. Because despite our success stories, despite the evidence, there are still people who question whether charter schools belong.
Let me be clear, charter schools are public schools.
Our students are not others.
They are Michigan's children.
They are future doctors, entrepreneurs, tradesmen, teachers, and civic leaders. And they deserve adequate funding, resources, and respect just like any other public school student.
When we advocate for charter schools, we advocate for equity. We advocate for innovation. We advocate for that scared little six-year-old boy who moved to Michigan in 1999.
So thank you to every educator, administrator, advocate, parent, and student that is here today. Thank you for showing up in the rain, standing tall in the rain, and speaking out in the rain. Let's continue to tell our stories, amplify our impact, and make sure Lansing knows that we are growing, we are thriving, and united in our mission to give every child in Michigan a chance to dream big and make those dreams real. So thank you, and may we continue to light the way for generations to come.
God bless you.
(Transcribed with Cockatoo)
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