High School Banks On New Focus And Old Identity At Banks Academy In South East Lake
A new school with an old name on Birmingham’s east side opens Monday, with hopes of helping to revitalize South East Lake. Alumni and friends of Banks High School launched Banks Academy in a community that has seen its share of violence and boarded up homes. Founders of the new Christian School say they want to make a change in place that has meant so much in their lives.
The glory days of Banks High School brought lots of sports championships before the high school closed in 1989. Graduates became lawyers and doctors, preachers and politicians, and almost any other profession you can name. Alumni and supporters are returning to their East Lake home base to continue a legacy at Lakeview Baptist Church on 8th Avenue South.
“This is a community school. We’re not trying to go and get people from West End to come to school here,” says Rev. Randy Overstreet, a Louisville, Kentucky pastor and Banks alum. “ We thought that by being Banks Academy, that says we are going to impact this particular area of the city.”
Overstreet and some of his old friends became disturbed by what they saw happening at their old school and the community surrounding it.
“We began to pray about a vision, bringing the Banks name back alive with a different purpose,” Overstreet says.
The Banks name has benefits, says Board president Darryl White.
“It allowed us to have an identity that a lot of people would almost immediately recognize,” he says.
White is familiar with that identity because of his father — longtime Coach Shorty White. The younger White didn’t get a chance to attend Banks because the family moved to Tuscaloosa before he entered ninth grade.
Now White, Principal Dr. Kathy King, and the staff are welcoming 10 students in 9th grade. White wants to add a high school grade each year, with 30 students in each.
Renita Parker’s twins– Bryan and Bryanna– are attending Banks. They’re zoned for Huffman High School, but she chose Banks.
“I wanted my children to be involved in a Christian environment,” Parker says.
She’s also pleased with the tuition scholarships and the school’s mission of impacting the total community.
“They’re going to learn math, they’re going to learn English and they’re going to learn history,” Overstreet says. “But by loving them and teaching them Biblical principles, that’s going to lay a foundation for their life that is far greater than anything else they would ever learn.”
Bryan, 14, is banking on a solid education because he has big plans.
“I want to be an entrepreneur, a congressman and a professional NBA player,” he says.
And Banks Academy organizers say they want all of their students to be successful in school and in the community.
Does Congress or the president hold war powers? Here’s what to know
President Trump's decision to launch airstrikes on Iran's nuclear facilities without first consulting Congress has drawn sharp criticism from lawmakers who say the move bypasses their constitutional authority to declare war.
U.S. Supreme Court allows — for now — third-country deportations
A federal judge had previously said people must get at least 15 days to challenge their deportations to countries they're not originally from.
Democratic senators rent space at the Kennedy Center to host a Pride event
A group of Democratic senators and Hamilton producer Jeffrey Seller are hosting a Pride celebration at the Kennedy Center Monday evening. But the Kennedy Center has nothing to do with programming it.
What to know about Jeff Bezos’ upcoming Venice wedding — and the protests against it
Bezos will soon marry Lauren Sánchez in Venice. Protesters say the city, already grappling with overtourism, is putting the wedding over their needs — which city officials and wedding organizers deny.
Emmy nominations voting ends tonight. Here’s what our critic hopes will make the cut
Emmy voters have until tonight to send in their picks for nominees. Here's what NPR TV critic Eric Deggans thinks they should be voting for.
Iran attacks a U.S. base in Qatar
A U.S. defense official confirmed that the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar "was attacked by short-range and medium-range ballistic missiles originating from Iran" and said there were no casualties.
