Evans' Dedication

On Wednesday, October 20, 2004 at 5:00 pm , over 100 friends and supporters gathered to dedicate the new Maya Angelou Public Charter School - Evans Campus at 5600 East Capitol Street, NE in Washington . This second campus of the Maya Angelou Public Charter School opened September 7, 2004 in partnership with the District of Columbia Public Schools, and is located in the eastern edge of the District, in the former W. Bruce Evans Middle School building. This is the first partnership between a public charter school and District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS).

Students greeted visitors that evening and led tours of the classrooms, science and computer labs, and performance space. The guests then joined students and founders David Domenici and James Forman, Jr.-along with the school principal, Dr. Nataki Reynolds-in planting a cherry tree to mark the occasion before proceeding into the auditorium for the formal dedication.

Carrie Thornhill, Julie Mikuta, and Robin Martin, members of the DC Board of Education, spoke in praise of this partnership and members of the DC Charter School Board were also in attendance. The Maya Angelou Public Charter School - Evans Campus would not be possible without the cooperation and generous support of our partner in this project, the District of Columbia Public Schools.

Special thanks go to the institutions that enabled us to open this campus, including:

• CharityWorks
  
• The Edna McConnell Clark Foundation
  
• District of Columbia Public Schools
  
• The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
  
• 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program
  
• Venture Philanthropy Partners
  
• Walton Family Foundation

Sophmore Jasmine Johnson spoke to the audience about what the Maya Angelou Public Charter School experience meant to her, and Dr. Reynolds shared her thoughts on the roles of parents, students and teachers in a successful education experience. Dr. Reynolds spoke to the crowd:

"This school would not be a warm, friendly environment for learning without the daily participation of our students, who come to school to hold us to high standards at the same time that we hold them. We salute you. We also salute the parents, family members, support teams, volunteers and teaching staff who push, coax, guide, direct and celebrate our students daily. Thank you for all that you do in support of the students of the Evans Campus."