Meet Patrick Evans | Co-Founder and Head of Schools

We had the good fortune of connecting with Patrick Evans and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Patrick, how does your business help the community?
Our schools exist to provide quality educational services to students and families in Opa Locka and surrounding communities. Miami-Dade suffers from chronic racial and economic segregation, so at any given moment, one’s physical location can inform the degree to which they feel safe, have access to quality resources, or feel socially isolated. Kids do not have a choice on where they grow up, and oftentimes – through no fault of their own – their home zip code can determine the type of school they attend, which has a significant impact on a host of eventual life outcomes. If all schools were truly equal as far as quality and abundance of resources, this wouldn’t be an issue. But it is common knowledge that schools in Opa Locka are not as well-funded, staffed or resourced as schools on Fisher Island, and to accept that reality without attempting to do something about it is to accept that economic and political inequality along racial lines will continue in this country indefinitely. So, our schools exist as an alternative for families who typically do not have quality charter options near their home. As of July 2022, our campus is home to Opa Locka’s only “A” school, and we’re beginning to establish ourselves as the aspirational “beacon” for our community. Choice leads to agency, which is a precursor to empowerment, so by standing tall in Opa Locka as a viable and quality alternative for families in lower-income communities, we’re positioned to enable more widespread empowerment throughout our community.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?

Beacon College Prep Elementary (established 2014) and Middle School (established 2018) are independently managed public charter schools located in the heart of Opa Locka. We’re incorporated as a 501(c)(3), which means that we are not for profit (elsewhere in the US, that statement wouldn’t be necessary but here in Miami it needs to be stated explicitly). Instead, we are mission driven so each individual we hire – from our cafeteria manager to our teachers – is deeply motivated by and committed to achieving that mission. Stated plainly, we strive to provide students and families with a quality, well-rounded educational opportunity which allows students to cultivate their intellect, character and talents. The students who attend our school deserve nothing less than our focused energy and effort to provide a highly-curated experience which honors their academic, emotional and social needs, while meeting all of the requirements of operating as a Title I public school.

We serve students grades K-8 primarily from Opa Locka, Liberty City, Miami Gardens and Hialeah, but are open for enrollment to any child in Dade or Broward who applies online. We engage students and families in the learning process because we humbly acknowledge that the burden of success cannot fall solely on the shoulders of any public school – it needs to be shared with families and students to empower enduring agency. When students, families and the school share ownership of our mission, success is imminent. The 2021/22 school year is a testament to that sentiment, as our students, families, teachers and staff rebounded from learning loss at the hands of COVID with impressive academic growth. So as a result, our school is typically embraced and cherished most by those students and families who are willing to roll their sleeves up with us and be on the hook for student academic and personal development.

That level of shared accountability takes a lot of sacrifice, work and effort for all stakeholders, but as JFK once said in reference to the obstacles inherent in an attempted moon landing, “we choose to do it because it is hard”. We believe that accomplishments are most meaningful when they’re rigorous and challenging, and since our students spend the majority of their waking hours on campus, we strive to make those hours as meaningful as possible. We push students beyond traditional expectations and try to invest them in testing their academic limits because the world is evolving rapidly, and as a school it is our responsibility to cultivate their resilience in preparation for a future that is increasingly unpredictable.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?

Admittedly, I am the wrong person to answer this question; my social tastes are bland to some, yet unique to others. But if I had to take a crack at a week’s itinerary for a friend, I’d strive to balance showing him the Miami he’d expect, as well as the Miami he never knew existed.

From the Miami he’d likely expect:

South Beach, Wet Willies, Cleavelander, a Heat game or UM Football game, jet skis on the Bay, Hard Rock Casino, drinks on Calle Ocho.

From the Miami he likely doesn’t expect:

Biking up and over the Rickenbacker, Shake A Leg sailing lesson, dinner at Bombay Darbar in the Grove, BBQ at Mama Lucy’s on 119th, workout or basketball at Charles Hadley on 12th Ave, stargazing in the Everglades, boxing class at Punch Elite Fitness in Overtown, pit stop for a thorough car wash on Flagler and 17th, Victory Lounge for brunch, and of course, morning motivation at Beacon College Prep in Opa Locka

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?

Without question, hesitation or reservation, my shoutout is to a man named John Flickinger. John was the founder of Summerbridge Miami (now known as Breakthrough Miami) and fellow co-founder of Beacon College Prep. Put simply, he is one of the most impressive humans and leaders I’ve ever met. He has inspired, challenged, and supported me more in the last 9 years than anybody aside from my mother, which is why I refer to him colloquially to my inner circle as a “second father”. I share all of my successes – both external and internal– with him because he played such a profound role in my development. I could fill a book with my gratitude for John (and perhaps I will one day) but if I had to boil it down to a quick, clean read, I appreciate John most because of his authenticity, his humility, and his wisdom.

I learned so much about what authentic leadership means by observing and mimicking John. There are few things I loathe more than inauthenticity (those doing it for the gram), so when I teamed up with John and I was able to witness first-hand how one could be powerful and influential while remaining genuine to his values, it helped me envision a path in leadership for myself. He possesses such a confidence in his identity which enables him to enter any conversation – whether with a CEO, pastor of a church, school board member or aspiring teacher – authentically. When we were laying the foundation to build Beacon College Prep in 2013, we spent multiple days of each week visiting community organizations, businesses and churches in the community.  I noticed how the exact same version of John showed up to each meeting as the John who met with me in private, from his attire down to the expression of his convictions. That instilled a great degree of confidence and trust in me, and served as a model for how – regardless of whether I’m interfacing with students, teachers, families, MDCPS, vendors or funders – I needed to bring my authentic self to work each and every day. Not only has it helped cultivate trust in people I lead, but it personally helps me remain proud of the man I see looking back in the mirror each morning.

I’ve also fashioned myself as a leader who embraces humility as a strength because of John. Early on in our relationship, it became clear that we each had strong opinions about a variety of issues. When our opinions differed, I stated mine with the intention of “winning the argument”. I was young, opinionated and at times indignant in our disagreements over issues both substantial and trivial as they pertained to our work building Beacon. In all honesty, I was probably quite hard to work with for somebody as experienced and accomplished as him! But what John showed me about leadership – often days or weeks later – was that listening was more important than responding, and growing was more important than “winning”. He taught me that humility today can make a leader so much stronger tomorrow, and that to learn from missteps is far greater than to never miss a step. Reflecting on our last 9 years together, I learned that it is always important to listen to what others have to say, and to incorporate their ideas, thoughts and opinions – especially those which diverge from your own – into a constantly evolving library of personal beliefs; we are never done growing as learners. Given his relative experience, wisdom and accomplishments, it would be easy – and even understandable – for him to have dismissed the opinions of a then 20-something novice and unproven leader.  But because he consistently goes the extra mile to listen, reflect and revisit our exchange of ideas, he often strengthens his own beliefs and opinions through disagreement. I’ve modeled my disagreement style off of his, and no matter the heat of the moment, I strive to step away, reflect, and revisit after working to see things from the perspectives of others. To me, this is humility in action.

Lastly, John has been somewhat of a spiritual leader for me. He has an ability to help me see the forest instead of the trees; and I’m somebody who already prides myself on being a “big picture” thinker. But while I’m thinking big picture about our school or my career, he’s often helping me think big picture about my life – I need that guidance and have always appreciated that about our partnership. He cares about me as a person, and is acutely aware when I’m going through emotionally or mentally challenging times.  In these instances, he’ll bring me books or articles to read which relate to my struggle in hopes that I’ll arrive at the correct conclusion.  Other times, he’ll simply challenge my borderline nihilistic perspective on life with thought provoking questions to help me interrogate the true meaning of my discontent.  Regardless of the situation, he is and has always been somebody who can ground me with his wisdom and perspective. Considering the various challenges I’ve had to overcome in my career, it has been an absolute luxury and blessing to have somebody like John in my corner to be a soundboard, a guide, and a role model. I simply could not have navigated the challenges over the past decade without the direction, guidance, care and wisdom that John provided.

To anybody reading this who is considering taking on a particularly risky or ambitious venture, my biggest piece of advice is to find yourself a John Flickinger. Or perhaps somebody like John because he’s really one of a kind. Work to surround yourself with people who can model the aspects of leadership you admire, as well as provide you with wisdom, guidance and perspective that will ground you when times get difficult. Don’t get so caught up in your own personal narrative, and always remember that we have the opportunity to be great because of those who have come before us – period. I’m eternally grateful and forever changed as a result of a genuine, trusting relationship with a mentor, friend and father figure. It is only my hope that one of my students, family members or staff members will reflect on their time with me one day in the way that I reflect on my time with John.

Website: beaconpride.org

Instagram: @minnesotaslim

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-evans-241a2860