David Banks

DAVID C. BANKS, President/CEO BIOGRAPHY David C. Banks is the President/CEO of The Eagle Academy Foundation. He was the Founding Principal of The Eagle Academy for Young Men, the first school in a network of innovative all-boys public schools in New York City. As President he is responsible for the successful leadership and management of the organization, which is charged with the replication of the successful Eagle model. Since opening in 2004, the Eagle Academy network has grown to encompass a total of six schools in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Newark, Harlem, Staten Island and is expanding its vision nationally. The Eagle Academy for Young Men, the first all-boys public high school in New York City in over thirty years, is a nurturing institution which believes that excellence, both in character and scholarship, opens doors and provides a bridge to equality. The Eagle Academies represent a partnership between students, school staff, parents, mentors, and community partners, who are all committed to the guiding principles of academic excellence, leadership and character development. These principles are supported by our core initiatives of mentoring, community service, extended day activities, Saturday Institute, summer programs, and parental involvement. The first Eagle Academy for Young Men was established as part of New York City’s twenty-first century high school reform initiative, an accomplishment achieved through a unique partnership with One Hundred Black Men, Inc. After five years of sharing space with the Bronx School for Law, Government & Justice, it has since moved into its own, state of the art facility. Prior to becoming principal of Eagle, David served as the Founding Principal of The Bronx School for Law, Government & Justice. This theme-based high school provided a unique opportunity for him to combine his law and education background. During his tenure, David helped spearhead a community-wide effort to secure a permanent home for the school. As a result, Bronx Law is now housed in a $75 million, state of the art facility, representing an unprecedented partnership between the criminal justice community and an inner-city high school. David is a graduate of Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey and received his Juris Doctorate from St. John’s University. He earned his Educational Administration and Supervision certification in only one semester by attending three colleges: Brooklyn College, City College and Baruch College. Further, David Banks has also been chosen as one of seven Black Male Achievement Social Innovators nationwide by the Leadership and Sustainability Institute, for demonstrating tangible results in improving the life outcomes of African American men and boys. David Banks was awarded an honorary Doctorate degree from Wheelock College. He is the author of SOAR: How Boys Learn, Succeed and Develop Character. David resides in New Jersey. He has four children, Jamaal, Aaliyah, Ali and Malcolm Rashaad, and one grandchild, Hayleigh.