Every Great Dream Begins With A Dreamer

by Aashumi Shah July 17, 2017 0 Comments

When we moved into our apartment in 2009 we never considered neighborhood schools. Newly married we were consumed with starting our life in the same city after many years of long distance. Walking in our new environment we could not help but notice the elementary school right up the street. Beyond liking the school’s name, Harriet Tubman Elementary School, there was nothing about it that drew our attention. That changed when Akira came into our lives. Initially, the school’s open space and bare bone playground gave us a closer alternative to the trolley park on Monroe Street were we could take our very active Akira.

As Akira’s third birthday drew near we became fully immersed in Washington’s school lottery system. Tubman Elementary School along with countless other schools became the source of nightly discussions. School websites were bookmarked for easy access and comparison. One of us became the lead scout at numerous open houses and reported the plus and minuses of each. Finally after reducing the hours of visits and discussions to a top ten list we hit send and hoped for the best. 

True to the well known disappointments of a lottery, Akira did not make it into any of his schools. The only remaining hope was offered by Tubman’s waiting list. Within a few days of Akira’s school life as the youngest pre-schooler in his Pre-K 3 class we realized what a lovely academic and cultural gem was a mere ten minute walk from our building.

During this summer break we have seen how Akira has blossomed into a curious, playful, and enthusiastic little person. We're looking forward to his second year at Tubman and it's solid team of educators. He will continue to be exposed to the socio-economic and cultural fabric of our neighborhood everyday in school. We hope to cultivate a wholesome heart and mind in our child where the most important lesson is inclusiveness. 

"Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world."  
- Harriet Tubman

Cheers,
From the EcuaIndians of DC!

 

 

Share:

---

---

Also in This is mirasa.