Hayward R. Jean
Speak Life Enterprises & Orangeburg County School District
The Power of A.I. (Arts Intelligence)
Our students and teachers have more in them than they realize, and many times what they have is challenged by antiquated practices. This session will inspire all attendees to D.R.E.A.M., so that we are models of what it means to use every aspect of who we are to create an environment of high level engagement for students and teachers! When a child is allowed to learn and demonstrate earning through artistic expression, the growth and achievement of students are endless.
Our students and teachers have more in them than they realize, and many times what they have is challenged by antiquated practices. This session will inspire all attendees to D.R.E.A.M., so that we are models of what it means to use every aspect of who we are to create an environment of high level engagement for students and teachers! When a child is allowed to learn and demonstrate earning through artistic expression, the growth and achievement of students are endless.
Hayward Jean is the Director of Student Services for Orangeburg County School District, and a leader on a senior cabinet that serves approximately 10,000 students. As an award-winning, former elementary principal, his school made history as one of eight South
Carolina in 2013 to go from an "F" rating to an "A" rating in one year, and in 2014, they were the recipient of the school's first Palmetto Silver Award for academic performance. In the 2019-2020 school year, the school was one of two schools in the country to be
awarded the National Institute of Excellence in Teaching's (NIET) School of Promise award. As a steering committee member of NIET, Hayward was instrumental in helping the organization secure a 2.5 million dollar grant to develop school leaders in South Carolina. Hayward authored, Weapons of Mass Distraction: Dismantling the Influence of Negative Hip Hop Music on Our Youth.
During his teaching career, Hayward was awarded his school's Teacher of the Year and was a District Teacher of the Year Finalist, in addition to receiving The South Carolina State Conference NAACP Presidential Citation Award for Education Advocacy, The Orangeburg Branch of the NAACP gave Hayward the Presidential Citation Award for Educator of the Year. Hayward was a guest on the internationally syndicated television program, The 700 Club, where he discussed growing up without his father to now being like a father to students who call him "Dad." The "I'M"possible Scholarship Fund named Hayward as the Living the Legacy Award inaugural recipient for his efforts to impact the youth. As an inaugural member for Call Me MISTER®, Hayward provides professional development for pre-service
teachers, teacher practitioners, administrators, and higher education faculty. As a youth advocate, Hayward and his wife, Starlette, founded Speak Life Day, which is a day recognized by many schools throughout the country to use words and actions to uplift people. Claflin University, Hayward's alma mater, named him to the inaugural class of Outstanding Leaders under 40 and awarded him the first Young Alumnus Visionary Award winner alongside the university's hall of fame honorees. Orangeburg Chapter of The Links Incorporated honored him as "Father of the Year" and the South Carolina Male Achievement Conference named him "Fatherhood/Man of the Year."
Carolina in 2013 to go from an "F" rating to an "A" rating in one year, and in 2014, they were the recipient of the school's first Palmetto Silver Award for academic performance. In the 2019-2020 school year, the school was one of two schools in the country to be
awarded the National Institute of Excellence in Teaching's (NIET) School of Promise award. As a steering committee member of NIET, Hayward was instrumental in helping the organization secure a 2.5 million dollar grant to develop school leaders in South Carolina. Hayward authored, Weapons of Mass Distraction: Dismantling the Influence of Negative Hip Hop Music on Our Youth.
During his teaching career, Hayward was awarded his school's Teacher of the Year and was a District Teacher of the Year Finalist, in addition to receiving The South Carolina State Conference NAACP Presidential Citation Award for Education Advocacy, The Orangeburg Branch of the NAACP gave Hayward the Presidential Citation Award for Educator of the Year. Hayward was a guest on the internationally syndicated television program, The 700 Club, where he discussed growing up without his father to now being like a father to students who call him "Dad." The "I'M"possible Scholarship Fund named Hayward as the Living the Legacy Award inaugural recipient for his efforts to impact the youth. As an inaugural member for Call Me MISTER®, Hayward provides professional development for pre-service
teachers, teacher practitioners, administrators, and higher education faculty. As a youth advocate, Hayward and his wife, Starlette, founded Speak Life Day, which is a day recognized by many schools throughout the country to use words and actions to uplift people. Claflin University, Hayward's alma mater, named him to the inaugural class of Outstanding Leaders under 40 and awarded him the first Young Alumnus Visionary Award winner alongside the university's hall of fame honorees. Orangeburg Chapter of The Links Incorporated honored him as "Father of the Year" and the South Carolina Male Achievement Conference named him "Fatherhood/Man of the Year."