ReNEW Dolores T. Aaron Academy and Ochsner Health Host “Donuts with Dad” Event

Fathers, male volunteers and community leaders join students for a morning of conversation and connection.

NEW ORLEANS – ReNew: Dolores T. Aaron Academy (DTA) in New Orleans East hosted its annual “Donuts with Dad” event Thursday in partnership with Ochsner Health. According to DTA Principal, Tiffany Robinson-Brown, “Donuts with Dad” is one of the school’s most popular and highly anticipated events of the year. More than just a breakfast, it’s an occasion to celebrate and highlight the importance and benefits of getting fathers and father figures involved in children’s education.

Each year, the school invites fathers, male mentors, volunteers, and community leaders to spend an hour or two with the students. The Ochsner Community Health Brees Family Center provides donuts, hot chocolate, and coffee. But it’s the fathers and male mentors/volunteers who bring the real value.

Research indicates that dads, uncles, brothers, and other father figures have a positive impact on a child’s academic success and overall wellbeing. The “Donuts with Dad” event is a way to show fathers and male caregivers that they are a welcome and valued presence at the school and in their children’s education. The hope is that it will plant a seed for continued involvement in the future.

“We are thrilled that once again, the men in RENEW’s community have come together to show our children that they put the future generation above all else,” Tiffany Robinson - Brown, Principal of ReNew: Dolores T. Aaron Academy, said to participants at the event. “Our ‘Donuts with Dad’ participants are true leaders for our children. They are such respected role models, and they are the backbone of our community.”

“At Ochsner, we know that community involvement is paramount for our families in New Orleans East and beyond, and we appreciate opportunities to partner with local schools and organizations for events like this one,” said Kevin Green, Ochsner’s Vice President of Community Health Centers, who helped organize the event. “It is inspiring to see so many men in one room investing in our children.”

As part of the activities, Ochsner’s Community Affairs division offered an interactive, hands-on chemistry activity. Students modeled snowflake design in real time, learning about the chemical makeup of a snowflake, and were able to take the experiment home to continue their exploration.

“Education outreach is a critical way for Ochsner to invest in our next generation of doctors, nurses, and scientists,” said Carlos Calix, Assistant Vice President of School Partnerships in Community Affairs at Ochsner. “We were thrilled to provide a short chemistry lesson as part of the ‘Donuts with Dad’ activities, in the hopes of inspiring the future STEM leaders of our state.”

Other special guests included Oliver Thomas, New Orleans City Council, District E.; Leila Jacobs Eames, District 1 Board Member, Orleans Parish School Board and Jason Williams, New Orleans District Attorney. Bryan Trosclair, Associate Pastor of City Church of New Orleans and Fred Luter Senior Pastor of Franklin Avenue Baptist also came, along with members of 100 Black Men of Metro New Orleans, Captain Kevin Stamp and officers from the New Orleans Police Department 7th District.

This year’s event was held in the school’s gymnasium and cafeteria. After parents, guardians and mentors spent time talking with the children in small groups, some of the special guests spoke to the hundreds of attendees, sharing their insights and hopes for a community that prioritizes education. Children engaged in small arts and crafts activities and the school band and dance team performed. At the request of DTA school officials, Ochsner volunteers also joined in the event, serving as stand-ins for those students whose male parents or guardians were not able to attend.

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About Ochsner Health

Ochsner Health is an integrated healthcare system with a mission to Serve, Heal, Lead, Educate and Innovate. Celebrating 80 years in 2022, it leads nationally in cancer care, cardiology, neurosciences, liver and heart transplants and pediatrics, among other areas. Ochsner is consistently named both the top hospital and top children’s hospital in Louisiana by U.S. News & World Report. The not-for-profit organization is inspiring healthier lives and stronger communities. Its focus is on preventing diseases and providing patient-centered care that is accessible, affordable, convenient and effective. Ochsner Health pioneers new treatments, deploys emerging technologies and performs groundbreaking research, including over 700 clinical studies. It has more than 36,000 employees and over 4,600 employed and affiliated physicians in over 90 medical specialties and subspecialties. It operates 47 hospitals and more than 370 health and urgent care centers across Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and the Gulf South; and its cutting-edge Connected Health digital medicine program is caring for patients beyond its walls. In 2021, Ochsner Health treated more than 1 million people from every state and 75 countries. As Louisiana’s top healthcare educator, Ochsner Health and its partners educate thousands of healthcare professionals annually. To learn more, visit www.ochsner.org.

About ReNEW Schools

ReNEW Schools is one of the few charter management organizations in New Orleans that truly affects every one of its PK-12 students from the first day of operation. ReNEW identifies the lowest performing public schools in New Orleans and through a vetting process with community members, staff, students, families, and the local and state School Boards, ReNEW assumes control of the existing school. This new control allows our organization and leadership the autonomy to make necessary staffing, culture, academic, and operational changes for the benefit our students' greater academic achievement.

The Turnaround Model is both highly challenging and rewarding: by assuming control of all grades at one time, we are changing the culture, perspectives, and trajectory of years-- and in some cases, decades-- toward student and community success.