2026 Conference Archive
Ghetto to Gifted: Students Transitioning from Unnecessary Intentions to Necessary Intelligence
First Presenter's Highest Degree Earned
EdD
Year First Presenter's Degree Was Awarded
1991
First Presenter's Field of Study
Social Science Education
Institution Where First Presenter Received Highest Degree
Nova Southeastern University
First Presenter's Institution
Alcorn State University
First Presenter's Brief Bio and Description of Credentials for This Presentation
Dr. John Plump is a graduate of Alcorn State University, UAB, and Nova Southeastern University. For the last (34) years, Dr. John Plump has labored as a teacher and school administrator in the Birmingham City Schools. Dr. Plump has served as a Social Studies teacher, where he taught courses in American History, American Government, and Psychology. His past administrative positions in education have included being an assistant principal, alternative school principal, and principal at many schools within the district. Currently, Dr. Plump serves as an Administrative Law Judge for Birmingham City Schools where he facilitates disciplinary hearings for at-risk students and their families. Dr. Plump is also an author of (6) books on education. Dr. Plump is the CEO of Plump Educational Consulting Services and holds membership in the Alabama High School Athletic Association, National Alliance of Black School Educators, National Council for Educating Black Children, Council for Leaders in Alabama Schools, and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.
Second Presenter's Institution
NA
Second Presenter’s Email Address
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Second Presenter's Highest Degree Earned
NA
Year Second Presenter's Degree Was Awarded
NA
Second Presenter's Field of Study
NA
Institution Where Second Presenter Received Highest Degree
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Third Presenter's Institution
NA
Third Presenter’s Email Address
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Third Presenter's Highest Degree Earned
NA
Year Third Presenter's Degree Was Awarded
NA
Third Presenter's Field of Study
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Institution Where Third Presenter Received Highest Degree
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Fourth Presenter's Institution
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Fourth Presenter’s Email Address
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Fourth Presenter's Highest Degree Earned
NA
Year Fourth Presenter's Degree Was Awarded
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Location
Westbrook
Document Type
Individual Presentation
Primary Strand
Youth Resiliency
Relevance to Primary Strand
Youth resiliency is closely connected to urban education because it plays a critical role in determining whether students thrive academically and socially despite the challenges they face. Many urban students encounter significant adversity, including economic hardship, community violence, unstable housing, and limited access to resources. These pressures can hinder academic performance unless students develop resilience—the ability to adapt, cope, and persevere through difficulty. Resilient students are more likely to recover from academic setbacks, stay motivated, persist through challenges, and develop strong problem-solving and self-regulation skills. In urban school environments, where behavioral and learning gaps may be more pronounced, resilience also strengthens social-emotional skills, supports positive identity formation, and helps students navigate complex or under-resourced school systems. Schools that intentionally foster resiliency through character education, mentorship, trauma-informed practices, and strong teacher–student relationships often see higher attendance, improved behavior, and increased academic achievement. In this way, youth resiliency acts as a bridge that helps students move from risk to success, ensuring they are equipped to overcome obstacles and achieve meaningful academic and personal growth.
Alignment with School Improvement Plan Topics
Student Learning and Development
Brief Program Description
In today’s 21st-century educational landscape, successful students demonstrate strong academic skills, disciplined habits, and purposeful goal setting. This workshop will highlight instructional and learning practices that strengthen student accountability, enhance student aptitude, and support overall school wellness. By presenting key principles that foster student excellence, the symposium aims to help schools cultivate a culture where resiliency is the norm. Participants will leave with a clear understanding that intentional, academically focused learning programs serve as a powerful catalyst for sustained student success.
Summary
The success of today’s students is largely influenced by the extent to which instructional designers—our teachers—master the craft of instructional delivery, student motivation, youth resiliency, and effective classroom management. Increasing evidence suggests that teachers in many urban schools have become increasingly disconnected from the psychological, social, political, and academic needs of their students, creating a detrimental climate that undermines teaching and learning. This growing disconnect has intensified challenges related to student expectations, funding disparities, widening achievement gaps, and overall academic performance.
To reverse these trends, educators must strengthen and refine a broad range of strategies designed to deeply engage students and produce lasting academic gains. Approaches that emphasize self-awareness, continuous professional development, adaptability to urban environments, and the maintenance of high, accelerated standards all serve as essential indicators of an educator’s capacity to be both effective and impactful.
Central to this conversation is the concept of academic resilience—the ability of students to manage setbacks, navigate anxiety, and respond constructively to academic pressures. Students across the nation are facing escalating social and academic challenges that, if unaddressed, can contribute to stress, diminished performance, and increased dropout rates. Resilient learners, however, possess the capacity to confront and overcome these obstacles. Thus, schools, colleges, and universities bear a critical responsibility in fostering and strengthening academic resilience.
My goal is to present the most current perspectives, research, and practices on academic resilience at both national and international levels. Ultimately, symposium attendees will leave equipped with practical insights, immediately applicable strategies, and proven methods that elevate student productivity, empower learner identity, strengthen student beliefs, and advance academic success both in school and beyond.
Evidence
Promoting youth resiliency within urban school settings provides meaningful benefits for student development and long-term academic success. Character education serves as a powerful vehicle for cultivating resiliency, helping young people recognize their innate strengths and empowering them to become successful students, productive citizens, and future leaders despite the adversities they may encounter. Resilience—an essential behavioral trait that enables individuals to withstand and overcome challenges—has gained increasing attention due to its strong connection to positive youth development.
This symposium will examine the intersection between resiliency and character education, highlighting how these two principles collectively contribute to healthy development and improved school experiences for urban youth. Core resilience traits such as purpose, problem-solving, social competence, and academic independence will be explored alongside foundational character education traits including trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, caring, fairness, and citizenship.
Over the past twenty years, research on urban schools has focused heavily on achievement gaps. However, these gaps persist because students often face gaps in opportunity—particularly those from low-income, urban, and racially or ethnically diverse backgrounds. Strong partnerships among schools, families, and communities can provide the enrichment, support, resources, and programming necessary to foster educational resilience in the face of adversity. Stakeholders with a vested interest in student success are uniquely positioned to promote resiliency through equity-centered school-family-community collaborations and empowerment-based compacts grounded in social justice and strengths-based approaches.
Learning Objective 1
Participants will be able to gain an understanding that student mastery is achievable in any educational environment when leadership remains consistent, intentional, and adaptable to the needs of its student population.
Learning Objective 2
Participants will be able to acquire practical strategies, techniques, and methods that inspire today’s learners to pursue academic and personal excellence.
Learning Objective 3
Participants will be able to communicate renewed, constructive perspectives to students experiencing disciplinary, academic, or emotional challenges.
Start Date
6-2-2026 10:15 AM
End Date
6-2-2026 11:30 AM
Recommended Citation
Plump, Dr. John, "Ghetto to Gifted: Students Transitioning from Unnecessary Intentions to Necessary Intelligence" (2026). Southeast Conference on School Climate. 44.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/secsc/2026/2026/44
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Ghetto to Gifted: Students Transitioning from Unnecessary Intentions to Necessary Intelligence
Westbrook
The success of today’s students is largely influenced by the extent to which instructional designers—our teachers—master the craft of instructional delivery, student motivation, youth resiliency, and effective classroom management. Increasing evidence suggests that teachers in many urban schools have become increasingly disconnected from the psychological, social, political, and academic needs of their students, creating a detrimental climate that undermines teaching and learning. This growing disconnect has intensified challenges related to student expectations, funding disparities, widening achievement gaps, and overall academic performance.
To reverse these trends, educators must strengthen and refine a broad range of strategies designed to deeply engage students and produce lasting academic gains. Approaches that emphasize self-awareness, continuous professional development, adaptability to urban environments, and the maintenance of high, accelerated standards all serve as essential indicators of an educator’s capacity to be both effective and impactful.
Central to this conversation is the concept of academic resilience—the ability of students to manage setbacks, navigate anxiety, and respond constructively to academic pressures. Students across the nation are facing escalating social and academic challenges that, if unaddressed, can contribute to stress, diminished performance, and increased dropout rates. Resilient learners, however, possess the capacity to confront and overcome these obstacles. Thus, schools, colleges, and universities bear a critical responsibility in fostering and strengthening academic resilience.
My goal is to present the most current perspectives, research, and practices on academic resilience at both national and international levels. Ultimately, symposium attendees will leave equipped with practical insights, immediately applicable strategies, and proven methods that elevate student productivity, empower learner identity, strengthen student beliefs, and advance academic success both in school and beyond.
