Ebony White recognizes there couldn’t have been a more critical time to lend her voice to the Head of School’s Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) at St. Mary’s Lynn.
White received an invitation to join the committee this spring, and shortly thereafter was connecting with parents through intensified conversations about race, remote learning and reopening planning.
“I felt like, ‘yep, this is it,’” she said. “I’m pretty big about being connected at my kids’ schools, so this was the opportunity to get more involved with St. Mary’s and other parents.”
White’s son, Jason Perry, is in grade 7 at St. Mary’s. Her daughter, Jordin is a fifth-grader at Tracy Elementary School in Lynn. They looked at St. Mary’s while Jason was still in fourth grade.
“Knowing my son and his learning style, we wanted a smaller classroom size and setting for him,” said White, adding that St. Mary’s Assistant Principal James Ridley encouraged the family to visit for a tour.
“I’ve known Mr. Ridley from when he coached me in high school,” said White, a 2001 Lynn Tech graduate. “He’s been a positive father figure to a lot of us in the community. We did the tour and loved it. Jason applied the next year and was accepted.”
Despite having his first year in the classroom cut short due to COVID-19, Jason is sure he found the right fit with St. Mary’s.
“It was awesome,” said White. “He had a great experience. He played middle school basketball and loved that, and sometimes watched the high school teams play. I loved watching him have that whole experience, even as a student fan. He finished very strong academically and enjoyed the remote learning, even though he missed the social aspect.”
As a member of the PAC, White is working with the administration on its Care for All reopening of school plan. The first PAC meeting was held virtually in June, and the group is continuing to meet once a month.
“In other circumstances, I would have loved in-person with parents getting together and mingling, but so far virtual is working,” she said.
Carolyn and Michael Richman are chairs of the PAC and Victor and Mevis Leo are serving as vice chairs.
“It is an important source of advice, insight and information that I utilize to lead St. Mary’s,” said Head of School Dr. John F. Dolan. “The voice of our parents is vital to the life of our community.”
White also recently participated in The Voices of St. Mary’s project, prompted by the May 25 killing of George Floyd by a police officer in Minneapolis and the assertion of the Black Lives Matter movement. It is hoped the conversations inspired healing, conscious awareness and change.
“We learn from each other, and I felt it was important for our voices to be heard,” said White. “I wanted to share some positive messaging, but also be transparent about what it’s like being a Black woman raising Black children. Hopefully we can do more work around diversity, equity and inclusion. We want to create a space where kids feel safe having these conversations.”
White is no stranger to initiating the tough conversations and advocating for a safer community for Lynn’s youth. For three years, she has sat on Lynn’s Stop the Violence committee, speaking to students at middle school events. And as the residential director of youth services at Centerboard, she oversees three youth programs and three teen programs. The Lynn-based organization aims to revitalize the community by investing in its people and places — supporting families and young people through housing, access to employment, education and financial empowerment.
White, who was the first female player to score 1,000 points for Lynn Tech, earned her Bachelor’s in communications from Newbury College, where she was the basketball captain for three years. She later earned a certificate in nonprofit business management from Suffolk University.
Adding to her already busy schedule, she coaches sixth-grade basketball at North Shore Sports Academy. She is also a project mentor for Aaron’s Presents, an organization giving young children an opportunity to dream up and carry out a project that benefits others, gaining valuable leadership and project management skills in the process.
“The smiles on the kids’ faces are what keep me going and wanting to do more,” White said.
She also wants her children to see her in action, giving back to the community.
“I’m trying to lead by example,” she said.
