Congratulations to PUSD student recipients of the 2025 African American Student Achievement and Excellence award (alphabetical by school)

• Axe Johnson - MHS
• Mekeda King-Polk - MHS
• Shakila Zuberi - MHS
• Justin "Mello" Dowdell - PHS
• Justinq Dowdell - PHS
• Kelsey Coleman - PMS
• Akunna Iroh - PMS
• Nylah Kasaun - PMS
• Victoria Mbise - PMS
• Angelette Moore - PMS

The African American Student Achievement and Excellence Awards (AASAE Awards) were created to encourage African American students and their families to strive and achieve.

This annual event affirms the worth and dignity of African-American students, and acknowledges and recognizes the support of parents, family and community in the lives of children.  Students are recognized in transitioning grades 5th/6th (entering middle school), 8th (entering high school), and 12th (graduating from high school), in a variety of categories that celebrate the whole child.

Recognition Categories

Students can be recognized in any one of the following four categories:

Academic Excellence

This category recognizes students who have demonstrated excellence in academics through achieving and maintaining a minimum 3.5 grade point average (or the equivalent Proficiency Level for elementary students) during the Fall 2021 Semester.

Academic Potential and Success

This category recognizes the drive and determination needed to improve one’s academic experience and recognizes the student who has demonstrated resilience, growth and commitment to higher academic performance. Students nominated in this category show progress improvement in at least one academic area.

Cultural Leadership and Civic Involvement

This category recognizes the student who demonstrates an intangible quality which uplifts their community and is engaged in various leadership and/or civic activities in his/her school, church or community.

Visual/Graphics and Performing Arts

This category recognizes the student who has made a contribution in the visual / graphics and performing arts in his/her school or community. In addition to the traditional visual and performing arts, this category also includes: videography, photography, graphic and web design.

A celebration will be held Sunday May 18 from 2-4 at Chabot College in Hayward, California. Click here for the flyer with more details. Please RSVP if you plan to attend.