Rictor Craig:

For Rictor Craig Jr., going to school was never a drag. He knew early on that both giving and receiving an education would be major passions of his. He knew so much so, that he began taking college courses in the 11th grade in his hometown of Chattanooga, Tennessee. 

Rictor began his educational career in 2003 teaching 11th and 12th grade English in the Baltimore City Public School System. In 2005, Rictor joined the Friendship Public Charter School system, where he taught 10th grade English, AP Literature, AP Language, and a Dual Enrollment Literature course. In 2012, Rictor lead Friendship Woodridge International School to receiving its Tier 1 status (high performing charter school) and lead the school to receive its International Baccalaureate status in 2015. Rictor is a Cohort 11 New Leader Alumni, a RELAY GSE Principals Cohort 1 Alumni, serves on several boards including The EnvestFoundation and EmPower online magazine, and is the Chairman and Founder of the National Association of Black Male Educators, an organization who’s mission it is to increase the number of males of color in education. Rictor is an Amazon Best Selling Co-Author of the HBCUExperience Anthology: The North Carolina A&T State University Edition. 

Rictor holds a B.A in Professional English from North Carolina A&T State University, a M.A.T from Morgan State University, a Masters of Science in Administration from Trinity Washington University, and is currently pursuing his Doctorate in Educational Leadership from The University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Rictor attributes his love of learning to his parents, who didn’t have the same opportunities as he did when it came to education.

For Rictor, encouraging and overseeing scholars, similarly to how his parents did for him, is important in guaranteeing quality education and a hope for a better future, especially for minorities. “My mission as an educator is to provide a Tier 1 education to students of color. It is my goal to ensure that all scholars, no matter their socio-economic background or race, receive an exceptional education to ensure they are prepared to get TO and THROUGH college.”

In 2017, Rictor became the Founding Director of Instruction/Co-Founder at Statesmen College Preparatory Academy for Boys in Washington, DC.