Congratulations to Andrew Boy, the co-director and founder of Columbus Collegiate Academy, one of the six charter schools Fordham authorizes. Andy was just selected as a 2010 recipient of Columbus Business First's highly prestigious ???40 under 40' award. The award recognizes outstanding Columbus area leaders under the age of 40 who have demonstrated a high measure of success and are making a positive contribution to the community.
Andy stands among the few leaders in Ohio urban education committed and able to give disadvantaged students what they deserve ??? a top-notch education that prepares them for success in college. As a young teacher in Cincinnati, Andy improved the science proficiency scores of his fourth and sixth graders by 60 and 80 percentage points in three years, respectively. Today, Columbus Collegiate Academy ranks as one of the top performing schools in Columbus while serving a student body that is 94 percent economically disadvantaged.
Andy has achieved this success despite the serious challenges his charter school faced from the outset (opening in a time of budget cuts to charter schools, encountering obstacles related to school facilities, and dealing with tough student transportation issues). His school's recent selection as a New Leaders for New Schools?? EPIC silver award for dramatic gains in student achievement is evidence that the national charter school community identifies Andy as a nationwide leader from whom other schools can learn.
Additionally, Andy makes the time to serve as a personal and professional mentor for four students in Cincinnati since 2002 and another two in Columbus since 2008. In that capacity, he helps students with college planning, starts college funds for all of the students, gives them opportunities to go to restaurants they'd otherwise not be able to go to, takes them fishing and to play golf and basketball.
Andy and the other recipients will honored at an awards ceremony on May 27th at the Hyatt on Capital Square in Columbus and featured in the Columbus Business First May 28th issue.
We here at Fordham can't think of anyone who deserves this award more. Congrats, Andy!
-OhioFlypaper