Phoenix Union students report on HBCU tour; district cites ACT gains and donor support

Students who took part in Phoenix Union High School District’s 2025 historically Black colleges and universities (HBCU) tour described campus visits, museum stops and academic supports and thanked district leadership and donors Thursday night.

At a Governing Board meeting, student presenters and program coordinators described stops at Norfolk State University, Hampton University, Morgan State and Howard University, plus visits to memorials and the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. Myesha Brown, who coordinated the trip, thanked district staff and the Burton Foundation for funding that has supported the tour since 2017.

Brown and several student speakers outlined campus features—scholarships, academic supports and student services—and said the tour exposed students to career and college paths. Presentations included details about campus resources such as merit-based aid and technology supports at Norfolk State, and small-university features at other stops. Students also described visits to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Lincoln Memorial and MLK Jr. Memorial as formative.

District staff shared program outcomes during public comments. A presenter reported average test-score gains for the 31 students on the tour: a 4.5-point average increase in English, 1.7 in math, 2.7 in reading, 3.1 in science and a 2.7 increase in composite ACT scores; more than four students scored a 30 on the ACT and roughly half scored at least 22. Staff and board members thanked students and family members and highlighted the Burton Foundation’s continued support.

The board asked staff to consider continuing the program and to share follow-up information where appropriate. No formal vote was required for the presentation, which the board received as part of recognitions and student reports.