LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commending David C. Banks upon the occasion of
being honored by Opportunities For a Better Tomorrow on June 6, 2012

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that individuals who
distinguish themselves in their profession and in service to their
community merit the highest commendation; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern and fully in accord with its long-
standing tradition, this Legislative Body is justly proud to commend
David C. Banks upon the occasion of being honored by Opportunities For a
Better Tomorrow; and
WHEREAS, Opportunities For a Better Tomorrow (OBT) helps disadvantaged
youth and adults recognize their own self-worth and to advance toward
self-sufficiency and financial security through job training, academic
reinforcement, improved life skills, job placement, and support
services; and
WHEREAS, Opportunities For a Better Tomorrow will proudly honor key
supporters who have done a great deal for the organization and for youth
in general at its First Annual Summer Soiree, to be held at Hudson
Terrace in New York City on Wednesday, June 6, 2012; and
WHEREAS, David C. Banks, President and Chief Executive Officer of The
Eagle Academy Foundation, truly merits this high honor; and
WHEREAS, David C. Banks was the Founding Principal of The Eagle Acade-
my for Young Men, the first school in a network of innovative all-boys
public schools in New York City; as President of The Eagle Academy Foun-
dation, he is responsible for the successful leadership and management
of the organization, which is charged with the replication of the
successful Eagle model; and
WHEREAS, Since opening in 2004, the Eagle Academy family has grown to
encompass a total of three schools in the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens,
and is expanding its vision nationally; and
WHEREAS, The Eagle Academy for Young Men, the first all-boys public
high school in New York City in over thirty years, is a nurturing insti-
tution which believes that excellence, both in character and scholar-
ship, opens doors and provides a bridge to equality; and
WHEREAS, The Eagle Academies represent a partnership between students,
school staff, parents, mentors, and community partners, all of whom are
committed to the guiding principles of academic excellence, leadership,
and character development, principles which are supported by The Eagle
Academies' core initiatives of mentoring, community service, extended
day activities, the Saturday Institute, summer programs, and parental
involvement; and
WHEREAS, 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 and Justice, it moved into its own, state of the art
facility; and
WHEREAS, Prior to becoming Principal of Eagle, David Banks served as
the Founding Principal of The Bronx School for Law, Government and
Justice, a theme-based high school which provided him with a unique
opportunity to combine his law and education backgrounds; and
WHEREAS, During his tenure as Principal, David Banks 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; and

WHEREAS, David Banks is a graduate of Rutgers University in New Brun-
swick, New Jersey; he earned his Juris Doctor degree from St. John's
University and his Educational Administration and Supervision certif-
ication in only one semester by attending three colleges: Brooklyn
College, City College and Baruch College; and
WHEREAS, David Banks and his wife Marion have four children, Jamaal,
Aaliyah, Ali and Malcolm Rashaad, and one grandchild, Hayley, all of
whom are proud to be part of his life and rejoice in his many accom-
plishments; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commend David C. Banks upon the occasion of being honored by Opportu-
nities For a Better Tomorrow on June 6, 2012; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to David C. Banks.