A Q&A with Global Concepts Charter School Executive Director Tracy McGee, an Elmira native who partnered with Tommy Hilfiger.
Highlights of Elmira’s win over Corning in the Class AA baseball semifinal
Highlights of Elmira’s 5-4 comeback over two-time defending champion Corning in a Section 4 Class AA baseball semifinal on May 20, 2022.
Andrew Legare, Elmira Star-Gazette
Elmira native Tracy McGee went from self-described slow learner during his days as a star athlete at Elmira Free Academy to executive director of the culturally diverse Global Concepts Charter School in Buffalo.
McGee, 50, has held that role since 2017 and has been with Global Concepts since 2010, starting out as an academic adviser before becoming a director.
Beginning in the fall, students at the school will wear uniforms through School Uniforms by Tommy Hilfiger, which is part of the Tommy Hilfiger brand. Hilfiger, who is also from Elmira, returned the royalties from the order to the school, and School Uniforms by Tommy Hilfiger provided the uniforms at a reduced price.
After graduating from EFA in 1990 at age 20, McGee earned an associate’s degree from Erie Community College, a bachelor’s degree in physical education from SUNY Brockport, a master’s degree in education from Buffalo State, and a second master’s degree in education for the school. administration of Canisius College. He is one year away from earning a Ph.D. from D’Youville University in Buffalo.
A request from her youngest son, who was born in 1995, altered the path of a life that McGee describes as “a journey.”
“He asked me to read him a book and I had a really hard time reading,” McGee recalled. “That was the turning point in my life. I said, ‘Hey, let’s throw the ball instead of me reading you a book.’ That really crushed me and motivated me to seek education, to be an example for him.”
In the first game of his senior EFA season, McGee suffered a torn ACL and ACL after rushing for 98 yards on five carries in a win over Chenango Forks. He also starred in basketball at the EFA and said the injury changed the trajectory of his life, at a time when there were multiple scholarship offers on the table.
He got into minor trouble after that and said he was dating some of the wrong people. His sister, Christie, encouraged him to leave Elmira and was his mentor and role model. She was also a star athlete at EFA and pursued a coaching career, most recently at Genesee Community College.
Tracy is married to Tami Hollie-McGee and is the father of two children: daughter Jada Hearon is 28 and son Treykel McGee is 26.
Question: What is it like helping young people as an educator?
Answer: While searching for education, I realized that education is the great equalizer. For anyone to be successful or personally free within himself, it is education. Once you have that knowledge, it is something that no one can take away from you.
If you think about it, we wouldn’t all be where we are today if we didn’t have education, teachers, principals, etc. in our lives. Education for me is the core of human development.
Q: How difficult was it to balance your own education with other responsibilities?
A: It was very challenging. I worked at Baker Victory, which is a juvenile detention center. Then I worked at Gateway Longview. Many times I worked two jobs. Going to work at a job and then spending the night at Baker Victory Services and then doing my schoolwork. I did a lot of juggling and, besides, being a father was quite a challenge. I knew that if I could be an example to my children, it would be to show them that perseverance and that personal knowledge to pursue education and be successful no matter what you choose to do.
Q: How did the skills learned through athletics help you?
A: I would just say being in a team and working towards a common goal as a team. Not only being in a team, but I have also trained. And the whole aspect of coaching. Now, as a leader, I am training and I have my team of educators. It’s the same mindset. You are looking for talent. You attract talent and seek to train the administrative team, the teachers, to achieve a shared goal. And that goal is to help young people succeed. A lot of that is definitely transferable. I wouldn’t be where I am today if I didn’t apply what I learned from athletics to my professional career.
Q: What is the most rewarding part of what you do?
A: I would say seeing young people who were like me. People said you’re not going to be anything or you’re not going to make it or you come from poverty or single parent homes. Not only me, but our team, we can help these young people to be successful and reach their full potential.
Q: What was the message to students after the mass shooting in Buffalo?
A: We are global concepts, so we are a very diverse school. We provide all of our students with counseling, resources outside of school for grief counseling, and crisis counseling.
My message to families is that during these times let us be a beacon of inclusion and hope as we heal and unite all races and peoples. It will lead us to create that kind of school where everyone is accepted and appreciated for their differences.
Q: How did the partnership with School Uniforms by Tommy Hilfiger develop?
A: I had this vision of where I would like to move our school more to a high school. So I reached out to my hometown friend that I grew up with, Bobby DeMember, and he was like, ‘Yeah, I can help you.’ I’ll put you in touch with Betsy Hilfiger (Tommy’s sister)’. So he put me in touch with Betsy and I mentioned to Betsy that we were celebrating 20 years as a charter school, which is a big challenge because you pretty much stay open based on your academic performance. I said, ‘Hey, Betsy, this is what we’re trying to do. I am currently researching a company called Tommy Hilfiger School Uniforms. Do you know anything about that? She said, ‘I never knew anyone had a license to use Tommy’s name, so let me get in touch with Tommy.’
Tommy walked up to the CEO of School Uniforms by Tommy Hilfiger and said, ‘Hey, there’s a gentleman from my hometown.’ It was from there, where they worked some things out and we were able to provide two school uniforms for all of our families for the start of the 2022-23 school year and that came from Betsy and Tommy Hilfiger partnering with us and reaching out to the CEO of Tommy Hilfiger School Uniforms.
Q: How will the uniforms benefit students?
A: Young people love fashion and designers. As an administrator, I have witnessed in the past young people being picked on because they didn’t have the latest clothes. This prevents children from being bullied for not having. It allows us to really focus on teaching and learning and children being successful. It’s exciting for young people.
Q: As a kid from Elmira, how cool was it to work with Tommy and have the connection with Elmira?
A: Is awesome. That even Betsy would notice. I don’t know Betsy personally and for her to take the cold call and then contact her brother. Both being from Elmira, it’s exciting. It’s really exciting. And it is a blessing.
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Source: www.stargazette.com