Our Mission
We engage communities to advocate for and affect change in public education.
AT ASK FOR MORE JACKSON OUR MISSION IS TO SUPPORT AND ENHANCE STUDENT LEARNING THROUGH ARTS EDUCATION EXPERIENCES
A History Of Impact
Founded in 1989 as Parents for Public Schools, for almost 30 years, we have engaged communities to advocate for and affect change in public education. Standing on its history of parent organizing and engagement, teacher and administrative development, and educational partnership, Parents for Public Schools made the bold step of defining its own narrative for the future, grounded in the premise that parents and students have the right to ask and expect more. In 2017, Parents for Public Schools of Jackson separated from the national Parents for Public Schools organization and adopted a new name—Ask for More Jackson. The organization still honors its original name while moving forward towards a greater place of purpose and impact.
Who We Are
Our talented staff and dedicated board members are all invested in the growth and progress of the Jackson Public School District on every level.
Gwendolyn Gardner, Executive Director
Ms. Gardner has improved the quality of Jackson Public School District schools and the lives of its children in so many ways in her years as an educator, beginning with her enrollment in public schools in 1970, the year of integration in Mississippi. She went on to become the 1st black National Board-Certified teacher in the JPS districtand one of two in the State of Mississippi, the first and only female principal of Walton Elementary School, JPS Administrator(Division II)of the Year, Parents for Public Schools Jackson Outstanding Educator,Outstanding Alumni Award for Excellence in Teaching from Jackson State University,and so much more. Ms. Gardner is now the Executive Director for Ask For More Jackson and continues to inspire her community, parents of JPS students, and the entire JPS district through her efforts as a leader in public education.
Edie Graham, Assistant Director
Edie Graham is a native of Jackson Ms and a product of Jackson Public Schools and Jackson State University. After traveling the world with her Military husband Ms. Graham built her career has an Internal Revenue Specialist/Supervisor at Capital One Bank. With over twenty years of experience, she led several successful bank mergers.
Ms Graham wanted to make a difference in her hometown of Jackson and made the decision to return home. This is where she discovered her true passion working with and impacting the future of children. She accepted a position with Walton Elementary School as an Instructional Assistant and Instructional Support Tech. Her success at Walton led her desire to have further impact in the lives of children. In her current role as Director of Arts Education for Ask for More Jackson, she has the opportunity to have major impact on the lives of children, teachers and the community she loves.
board of directors
BENJAMIN TORREY
PRESIDENT
ROY A. MILLER
VICE- PRESIDENT
VANESSA L. GRAY
TREASURER
ALTHEA JOHNSON
SECRETARY
Vanessa Wilson
MEMBER
Nancy Sylvester
MEMBER
Annie H. Archie
MEMBER
Ollye Shirley
Emeritus Member
CAROLYN WHITE
MEMBER
Our Programs
We operate programs with the entire education community in mind in order to provide the best educational environment for every single child in the school district. Our approach is collaborative with those who know best: the educators, parents, and students on the ground. We scaffold programs to reach multiple generations in a family and lift students towards success.