Charter Schools
I'm Headed to Stanford on a Full-Tuition Scholarship and I Have My Public Charter School to Thank for That
“Education is the way out of poverty and into a better life.” For years, my family harped on this mantra in hopes of providing me opportunities they didn’t have themselves. For a while, I couldn’t...
Charter Schools
How My Charter School Helped Me Get a Diploma, Job and Start College After Incarceration
I’m 36 years old. For roughly 15 years of my life, I struggled with an addiction to meth. My addiction throughout those years had several negative effects on my life including school, family, failed...
Teaching
I Have Stage IV Lung Cancer But I Couldn't Imagine Not Being in the Classroom
I always thought I'd be a professional baseball player. It was everything that ever mattered to me—even if I couldn't play, I knew I wanted to coach. In my early years of high school, I would...
Student Voice
I Didn't Think I'd Ever Be Able to Afford College, But Now I Have a Full Ride to Brown
Growing up in Houston, I knew I was capable enough for college. I earned straight A’s in high school and possessed an insatiable drive to move beyond simple answers. But, as a child of immigrants in...
Teaching
It Cost Nearly $250K to Teach My Son to Read. Here’s How to Do Better for Less.
My formerly illiterate fourth-grade son is now an eighth-grader at The Windward School for Children with Dyslexia, where he learned to read. Next year, he will attend Bard High School Early College...
Teaching
I Can't Say Thank You Enough to My Late High School Teacher Mr. Murphy
As we wrap up Teacher Appreciation Week, I’ve done some reflecting about my own years as a student. There are teachers who have a lasting impact on our lives and on April 2, I lost one of mine. Mr....
