Thoughts From an MLK Celebration

It didn't take long for me to find my first big topic for this blog.

As I mentioned in my first post, I work at an after-school program in Tacoma. It is the Hilltop Scholars program at Peace Community Center. According to Peace's numbers, about 60% of the students in the Hilltop Scholars program are African American, and approximately 75% of students are minorities.

Yesterday was Martin Luther King Day. Though it is a big day for all of America, I hope you can see what I think it's a bit bigger deal for the students I work with.

Last night there was a big MLK day celebration at Peace, and it was really neat on many levels. It was particularly moving for me to watch all the student involvement, particularly knowing that they had spent a couple months worth of Friday afternoons preparing. The positive energy from the students was infectious.

However, there were also sobering moments in the celebration. In particular, the Peace education director spoke about the achievement gap in Tacoma public schools. It has always been a problem, and is finally getting some needed attention. Last September, this report was prepared for the superintendent.

I am yet to really go through the report. I will though, and post my thoughts on this blog in (hopefully) bite-size chunks. The students I work with largely are the statistics in the report, and I hope that aids me in connecting the picture the stats paint with the sketches of everyday life.

Oh, and though I will stay focused on Tacoma and my experiences, the achievement gap is a nation-wide problem. It's a big deal to me, and there are all sorts of reasons that it should be a big deal to all of us. The achievement gap is a major issue that should get more attention than it does. It will get its proper due on this blog.