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Students at a Freire Schools career day.
BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT:
Freire Schools
When it comes to a charter school, you typically wouldn’t expect their logo to be a fierce fire-breathing dragon, no uniform regulations in place, or that teachers are addressed by their first name. But for Freire Charter School Wilmington, these unique features mean the world to the students. As a school with an unwavering commitment to ensuring every young person has access to highquality education, Freire Wilmington prides itself on including input from students to shape their everyday learning experiences. Wielding a challenging, fulfilling five-year college and career prep curriculum that emphasizes graduation even beyond high school, Freire is well-
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equipped to provide each student with the education to succeed in college and beyond. Freire Schools began 26 years ago in Philadelphia, eventually launching three locations throughout the city. Twelve years ago, then-Gov. Jack Markell reached out to Freire Schools with a bold idea: to replicate its success by bringing a new location to Wilmington. Today, Freire Wilmington has become a crucial part of its community by providing hands-on learning experiences, scholarship opportunities, and an array of additional resources, including academic and emotional supports. Melaine Reiser, Freire Schools’ chief advancement officer, explains what
makes its academics uniquely impactful. “Our college prep programs are specifically designed to expose students, as they enter high school, to hands-on, authentic learning experiences that help them get excited about understanding their full potential,” Reiser says. “Students start our programs in eighth grade to get a jumpstart on building selfawareness and realizing how they can use our tools to help them move forward with their lives.” Aside from curriculum, Freire Schools also has a highly active college counseling program. “Counseling staff support students by helping them find the best schools to align with their passions, apply to those schools,
May/June 2026
| DELAWARE BUSINESS
4/28/26 2:34 PM