JAMES A. HEARN, ED.S
PRINCIPAL – DETROIT PUBLIC SCHOOLS
MARCUS GARVEY AFRICAN CENTERED ACADEMY
James A. Hearn, the eldest of four children raised by his mother and aunt, personifies determination, leadership, pursuit of academic excellence and achievement. Mr. Hearn mentors principals, aspiring leaders, and students. Under his leadership, Garvey Academy has been recognized by the Skillman Foundation as a high performing school, featured in the Detroit Free Press, “How Garvey Rises Above,” and showcased in numerous local television and news stories.
In 2009, Garvey Academy was merged with two low achieving schools and consequentially placed on the state’s Persistently Low Achieving Schools list. Combining his leadership with the efforts of the Garvey Academy community, Marcus Garvey Academy was recently acclaimed by Excellent Schools Detroit in 2013 as one of the top twenty elementary/middle schools in the city of Detroit.
Hearn has received numerous awards and accolades including: 2011 Coleman A. Young Educator of the Year, Spirit of Detroit Award, and National Association of Elementary School Principals’ National Mentorship Program. He has served as an adjunct professor at Wayne State University, where he is currently working to complete a doctoral degree. He is also a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity.
Principal Hearn continues his commitment to mentorship and providing a high quality education to his students.
