THE SCHOOLS OUR CHILDREN DESERVE

By the early 2000s, DC public education had been struggling for a long time. Despite having among the highest per-student education expenditures in the country, DC students’ test scores were among the lowest—and continuing to decline. Something had to change.

DC Prep was founded in 2003 by local leaders, advocates, and families who wanted a school to believe in their children as much as they did. The mission: To bridge the educational divide in the nation’s capital by increasing the number of students from underserved communities with the academic preparation and personal character to succeed in competitive high schools and colleges.

“DC Prep set out to show that there is a model of public education that can work: that when you bring together missionaligned teachers, families, and community partners, you can have a successful and thriving public school,” founder Emily Lawson said. “And to show that all kids can succeed and go on to high school and college. Back then, that wasn’t an accepted fact.”

DC Prep’s first school, Edgewood Middle Campus, opened with 100 fourth and fifth graders in Ward 5 thanks to the strong support and partnership with Reverend Donald E. Robinson and his youth development organization Beacon House, which is deeply embedded in the Edgewood community.

From the very beginning, DC Prep focused on the twin pillars of academic rigor and social-emotional development. “It’s about helping our students build the skills, habits, and mindsets that will help them be successful members of their communities for the rest of their lives,” founding Board Chair Terry Eakin said. “And we had fun! It was such a joy to feel that we were making a difference.”

At the time of DC Prep’s founding, Pam Steptoe had recently moved to the city and was looking for a school for her daughter, Jaime—the neighborhood school for which they were zoned was not a viable option. “I took a risk on DC Prep,” Pam said, “but once we started, I was hooked. I could see her academic growth, and I could see that she was being nurtured as both a student and a child.” Jaime was a member of the second graduating class of DC Prep.

Today, Jaime still lives and works in the city where she grew up. “DC Prep was the best education I’ve ever had,” she said. “And I went to two private schools after graduating. I still keep in touch with my friends from DC Prep, and we all agree that what we learned at DC Prep has been embedded in our souls.”

Adenike GonÇalves Kirby has been a Preppie parent for 15 years and counting— her oldest son graduated DC Prep two years ago, while her three younger children are currently in PK4, 1st, and 3rd grade.

“DC Prep has been an important part of my family’s life,” Adenike told us. “Anything you want in a school, DC Prep has it. They do what’s best for the child, and they move with the times. You couldn’t ask for a better team of people to be involved in your child’s life.”