It looked and sounded like a traditional draft day celebration at Leo Catholic High School—but the announcements weren’t about professional sports contracts.
Instead, dozens of young Black and Brown men were applauded for academic triumphs and full-ride college scholarships.
One by one, students proudly declared where they will spend the next four years, including schools like Jackson State, Clark Atlanta, and Bowie State. The event, held at the all-boys Catholic school in Chicago’s Auburn Gresham neighborhood, marked a powerful redefinition of success for the 49 graduating seniors…