In his final email addressing the staff as a whole, Mr. White, YMLA’s founding father, signed off one last time: “One Dream; One Team!”

As the saying goes: “Once a Wildcat, Always a Wildcat, but two things can be true at the same time. Mr. White is no stranger to the Panther Pride as two of his three daughters graduated from Paschal. While we are sad to see him go, we appreciate that Mr. White is destined to lead in places that outstretch the small halls of YMLA. Following his lead, we send him to Paschal with love! One of our newest Dream Team members, Dr. Toni Edwards-Joubert, gives her blessing, “May you walk into [this new journey] with the same faith and fire that brought you this far.”

With “faith and fire,” he built a legacy. For our first student website story publication, staff writer, Tristen Smith, sat with Mr. White to get the deets! In Destined To Lead: Part 1 and Destined To Lead: Part 2, Tristen reported on Mr. White’s upbringing, transition in to education, his journey through education, and the story of the birth of a leadership academy placed in the heart of the Historic Stop Six in a building whose history initially held black students only.

Mr. White touched on this history in his final message to his “Dream Team,” Mr. White recalled: “I was hired on February 2, 2012, to accomplish what many thought was impossible! I was told it was career suicide; I was told that the demographic we serve would be impossible to motivate in a single gendered environment and WE dispelled all nay sayers. With the dedication and collaboration of caring adults and Dream Team members, we stand 13 years later as one of the premier campuses in the district, state, and nation. In reviewing our preliminary STAAR data, we sit poised to be an “A” rated campus again for 2024-25!” 

His words are too humble. For a school whose only demographic is historically marginalized males, being “A” rated is a direct reflection of the legacy he established. But he did not do this alone! Mr. White has a unique ability to model leadership, foster leadership, and then distribute leadership, creating: a Dream Team, a Mission, a Creed, Conventus, PRIDES, Principal and Dean of the Day, Mark Carter Day, Apollo Rogers day, and a treasured motto: “Expected to Learn; Entitled to Achieve!”

In 8 out of 8 commencement addresses, he challenged each graduate: “Come back. Return with a degree, and don’t leave your brothers behind.” With this charge, graduates responded and, because of Mr. White’s example of leadership, established an official Alumni Association and presented not one, but three scholarships to their graduating brothers. Now, he is also fraternity brothers with some YMLA alumni! Even our annual 5K and Renae L. Ruffin Breast Cancer Awareness Ceremony and Scholarship was inspired by his legacy of leadership from his mother-in-law, Renae L. Ruffin, as he holds his personal family dear. No wonder White expressed in his final message, “My heart is full.”

Mr. White’s heart for the YMLA Family is genuine. This year, admittedly, was tough with the loss of another student, and a near fatal accident of an alumni, but Mr. White demonstrated a man’s grief. The YMLA Family visibly cried together. This YMLA Family stretches far and wide: from California to Boston, Japan, Italy, TCU, UT, Howard, Harvard, Rice, and MIT; from the Advisory Board to PTSA and a host of original and former Dream Teamers, families, and friends in between. One mom of a Class of 2025 graduate and PTSA board member, K. Brady expressed, “I’ve entrusted you with my son since 6th grade, and I’d do it again in a heartbeat!” *Stay tuned, YMLA Family! We will all come together sooner than later to celebrate and appreciate his legacy and feel free to leave a comment here on the story.

Mr. White, it seems silly to simply say THANK YOU. With this move, you demonstrated one final act of leadership: the ability to leave a legacy, pass the torch, and make a faith move. In faith, we trust and look forward to your part in the choice of a successor.

You can’t have a leadership academy without a leader who is destined to lead!

*CLICK HERE to listen to our podcast with Mr. White where he reveals his favorite football team!

Gallery • 15 Photos

Mr. White and his father-in-law and daughter honoring his mother-in-law, Renae L. Ruffin at the first ever YMLA 5K.