ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: FRANK JACKSON
Frank Jackson has accomplished much in his 26 years. Attending the Byers School from 2nd through 5th grade and being named a Stepping Stone Scholar, he credits these experiences with laying the foundation for his future and paving the path he is on today. After attending Springside Chestnut Hill Academy (SCH) for high school, Frank then went off to Texas Christian University and remained in Texas after college to participate in Teach for America. In his role there as an English Language Arts instructor, Frank taught a majority of Latinx students and was able to work closely with them and make an impact in their lives using his fluency in Spanish.
Upon returning to Philadelphia, he taught Spanish and English at Springside Chestnut Hill Academy while pursuing a Master’s Degree at the University of Pennsylvania in Applied Positive Psychology. He was delighted to be able to teach the first positive psychology class at SCH.
A few months ago, however, Frank made the decision to leave teaching to focus full time on his initiative, The Pearl Effect, a consulting and speaking engagement firm focused on supporting Black and marginalized communities. He created the endeavor based on a poem he wrote about the science of wellbeing: "All that remains of the magic floating in the sea are the sparkles of a pearl. A painful persistence of an essence. An innate adaptive adeptness. A myelinated message within all of us. A pearl effect." In the poem he speaks to protecting the oppressed, continuing the persistence of essence, and being adaptive.
Frank is a sought-after speaker and presenter, having held lectures and workshops at universities such as Harvard and Penn, as well as speaking to businesses and other organizations about creating inclusive environments, the science of well-being, and the science of happiness. Through The Pearl Effect, Frank hopes to help communities and individuals to change the narrative of their history and move toward strength, beauty, and a life of thriving.
His book, "The Pearl Effect: The Story of African Americans’ Continuous Push toward Well-Being," is nearly complete and is in search of a publisher.
As is obvious from his ambitious approach and education, Frank pushes himself to continually grow. His personal motto is: "Life is at the end of your comfort zone." He certainly lives a thriving life!