Jéneen and Omar Barlow are always working on something new. Their newest venture, Salt and Light Academy for Boys, is a space for young men in Philadelphia to learn academics and leadership skills.
Together, the married couple has written multiple books, hosted professional development events, and mentored thousands of young people to be their best.
“I think we could safely be called serial entrepreneurs by now,” Jéneen, who was the featured speaker at the PALCS Class of 2026 commencement ceremony, said.
One family, different reasons for choosing PALCS
With business ventures focused on personal growth and leadership, it’s no surprise the Barlow family enrolled two of their three children in the Pennsylvania Leadership Charter School.
Both of their children came to PALCS at different times and for different reasons.
Their youngest, Nathanael, was in middle school when the pandemic hit in 2020. When restrictions were lifted months later, finding the right school environment proved to be a struggle.
Nathanael, who has a talented singing voice and is currently studying at Berklee College of Music, didn’t have time in his schedule for music classes. Jéneen said he also experienced discrimination.
A temporary cyber middle school solution
A few years prior, Grace, the Barlow’s daughter, spent a year taking online middle school classes at PALCS when she was in 7th grade.
“There was some awful bullying [at her previous school],” Jéneen explained. “We just had to quickly get her out of the situation. But after a year at PALCS, she wanted to go somewhere else, so we allowed that.”
What the Barlows described as Grace’s “fabulous” experience with PALCS left the cyber school on the family’s radar when Nathanael needed a new option.
Performing arts, dual enrollment opportunities
Nathanael’s musical talent made the Center for Performing and Fine Arts (CPFA), a division of PALCS where students can take arts and music classes, a natural fit.
In addition to his core PALCS and CPFA classes, Nathanael took dual-enrollment classes and graduated high school a year early.
Despite Jéneen and Omar’s fears about Nathanael taking a non-traditional path, PALCS turned out to be a blessing for the family.
“The flexibility gave him the opportunity to audition and meet other artists,” Jéneen reflected. “Releasing the norm and doing what’s right for each child is a risk worth taking.”
Learning and leading
Through both their professional and parenting journeys, the Barlows have realized the need to keep learning so they can be better leaders for their family and the people they mentor.
“When you stop learning, you’re going to stop leading. You cannot lead if you stop learning,” Omar said.
You can hear more from Jéneen and Omar in the season 3 premiere of Winging It, PALCS’ official podcast.
Interested in discovering how PALCS can transform your student’s educational experience? Contact us today to learn more!
