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Maya Angelou High School

MAYA ANGELOU SCHOOLS RECEIVE CONTINUING ACCREDITATION FROM THE MIDDLE STATES ASSOCIATION

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Leah Lamb

 Email: llamb@seeforever.org

 Phone: 202.797.8950 ext 1005

MAYA ANGELOU SCHOOLS RECEIVE CONTINUING ACCREDITATION FROM THE MIDDLE STATES ASSOCIATION

WASHINGTON, DC (Wednesday, October 20, 2021)  — The Middle States Association  (MSA) Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools has awarded continuing accreditation to the Maya Angelou Schools.  The northeast DC-based charter school network comprises three educational programs that include Maya Angelou Public Charter High School, Maya Angelou Young Adult Learning Center, and the Maya Angelou Academy at the New Beginnings Youth Detention Center.

“It is a major undertaking to go through re-accreditation for one school.  We went through this intensive process for all three of our schools within a twelve-month period during a worldwide pandemic.  I am so proud that the work that we do – the collective efforts of our school leaders, staff, students, and parents –  continues to be validated through MSA”, said Dr. Clarisse Mendoza Davis, Chief Executive Officer of the Maya Angelou Schools and See Forever Foundation.

The network underwent a rigorous review process conducted by MSA commissioners beginning in early 2020 for the Maya Angelou Academy and completing the process for the Maya Angelou Public Charter School and the Maya Angelou Young Adult Learning Center in early 2021.  The MSA reviewers measured academics, student engagement, and operations focused on research-based school effectiveness and improvement standards. Reviewers noted that each school network exceeded the standards and expectations since the prior review process in 2013. Chief of Schools, Azalia Speight noted, “The visiting team was extremely impressed with the consistency of services and support that students receive. They commended teachers  for their relentless efforts to provide quality instruction and they praised support staff for building strong relationships and providing strong interventions.”

For more information about the Maya Angelou Schools re-accreditation status and organizational updates, visit the website at www.seeforever.org and contact Leah Lamb, Chief Institutional Advancement Officer, at llamb@seeforever.org. For more information regarding the Middle States Association Commission on Elementary and Secondary schools, visit https://www.msa-cess.org

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About Maya Angelou Schools and See Forever Foundation

The mission of the Maya Angelou Schools and See Forever Foundation is to create learning communities in lower-income urban areas where all students, particularly those who have not succeeded in traditional schools, can succeed academically and socially. Maya Angelou Schools has served opportunity youth in the District of Columbia for close to 25 years. At Maya Angelou, a network of alternative schools,  our students develop the academic, social, and employment skills they need to build rewarding lives and promote positive change. Maya Angelou Public Charter School, Young Adult Learning Center and Maya Angelou Academy at the New Beginnings Youth Development Center provide a comprehensive education in a non-traditional setting to all students including those who have not been successful in traditional educational settings. We achieve this through a demanding academic program, socio-emotional learning support, and tiered interventions that focus on the whole child. Our students leave us with a foundation to be successful in their educational and career pursuits.

For more information about the Maya Angelou Schools and See Forever Foundation, visit our website at www.seeforever.org.

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Partners and Funders Luncheon 2016

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In late April, the Maya Angelou Schools and See Forever Foundation hosted its annual Partners and Funders Luncheon. We hold this event annually to thank our supporters and partners, without whom we could not fulfill our mission.

The luncheon began with remarks and an overview of the organization from our CEO, Dr. Heather D. Wathington. Each school leaders then spoke on specific initiatives their schools have been working on this semester. Sarah Navarro, the director of the Young Adult Learning Center (YALC), highlighted the new Seeds for Success program which partners with the Department of Public Works and Department of Employment Services to create work opportunities and classroom incentives for students. At the High School, Principal Tameika Ashford Freeman presented updates about the High School’s after-school initiatives and the new Hospitality and Tourism program run by Director, Akoshia Yoba. This new program engages and exposes students to various career opportunities in the fields of hospitality and tourism and provides useful credentials and contacts for students.

The luncheon ended with a tour of the Maya campus and two hands-on activities led by Maya Angelou Schools’ students. At the YALC, students taught guests how to make their own picture frames from scratch. The students were fantastic teachers, both patient and engaging, as they demonstrated the machinery and frame-making process with ease. At the High School, student Ambassadors and Ms. Bell, our High School Art instructor, directed guests in making hand-made cards.

We hope all of our guests enjoyed getting to see the schools and students in action, and we look forward to another great Partners and Funders celebration next year!

–Yifan Zhang

Click through the gallery below!

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Enrichment at Maya Angelou Schools

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Enrichment Programs, like STEM Support, Engage Students

On a busy winter afternoon, Samantha Koonce, physics teacher and MAPCS’s enrichment coordinator, stopped by a sunny classroom of students. Inside, a group of girls were sitting Socratic seminar style, enthusiastically engaging in a conversation about self-esteem. The conversation was facilitated by Samantha Southall, a special education teacher and founder of the enrichment program, Class Act.

Class Act’s mission is to teach young women self-advocacy and self-worth, promoting positive interactions between young women through conversation—like the ones Ms. Koonce observed that winter day. Ms. Southall modeled the program after her experiences in leadership conferences, like Girls Lead, when she was a student. When the opportunity arose this past year to submit enrichment programming proposals at Maya, she jumped on the chance to create a similar program, where MAPCS’s young women can learn they have the right to be “heard and listened to.”

Ms. Koonce, stresses the importance of programming like Class Act. It offers students a place to “feel safe and loved, and that they are worthy.” At an alternative school like Maya Angelou, where students often come to school with outside experiences telling them the exact opposite, this feeling of worthiness is critical to student success.

Jennifer Piechoski, academic counselor and founder of the enrichment program, STEM Support, sees this fact play out daily. “It amazes me every day how resilient these kids are; they regularly survive the kind of things which would knock me out for a month. But big deal, they still come to school.” Ms. Piechoski’s STEM Support offers after-school tutoring for students who are struggling in STEM subjects. Its students, however, learn far more than math equations and the scientific method. They develop personal relationships with their tutors—college students from GW Scholars and experts in the field from DC Scholars—and create strong connections with Maya staff in a smaller setting. Ms. Piechoski, herself, regularly calls students’ homes to encourage ongoing attendance in STEM Support and impress on their parents the importance of engaging in school.

The bottom line is, as Ms. Koonce noted, enrichment programming is “necessary programming.” Students often “stop learning when they leave school, and we need to continue working with them to build the skills they need to succeed.”

-Yifan Zhang

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Maya Cheerleaders “Bring it On” with Tony Redz on WPGC

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WASHINGTON DC–On Wednesday December 23rd, Maya Angelou Lady Rebels joined radio personality, Tony Redz, to host  the Top 7 at 7 countdown.

The Maya Cheerleaders introduced themselves and started with a WPGC themed cheer to open the show. Afterward, each of the 7 cheerleaders took turns announcing the top 7 seven songs. The ladies then closed the show,  loudly, with a second cheer, something no other school had done before.

The cheerleaders included: Miara Marshall, Breanna Brentley, Kenisha Jones, Kenyetta Trees, S. Williams, Alexis Buffman. Coaches, Alexis Wescott and June Hall were also there to support the ladies.

The Lady Rebels took photos with host, Tony Redz, and gifted him a signature Maya Angelou Schools  pullover. They even ran into local DC Rapper, Ant Glizzy during photo opps! It was a joyous night to kick off the Holiday season, which the ladies will surely remember.

Check out the  videos below to see the Lady Rebels in action. Congratulations to our ladies and their coaches on a wonderful performance!

-Lisa S. Rajaram

 

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UDC Causes: Maya Angelou Charter School students volunteer at East Capitol Farm

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On Friday, December 4, nearly 50 volunteers including students from the Maya Angelou Public Charter School’s Young Adult Learning Center (YALC), the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Groundwork Anacostia and UDC volunteered, continuing construction on and the beautification of East Capitol Urban Farm. Volunteers learned about urban agriculture and green infrastructure under the leadership of site managers Dr. Kamran Zendehdel and Harris Trobman, from the CAUSES Center for Sustainable Development (CSD), and constructed 20 raised beds and planted the remaining shrubs and trees. Read more here.

by Leslie R. Malone.
UDC Causes blog

Dear Maya Family: Letter from CEO

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December 2014

Dear Maya Family,

There are days that try our patience, our stamina, our resiliency and our resolve. However, amidst the discipline problems, construction noise, and other stress-inducing challenges, our staff and colleagues have persevered.  As our namesake Maya Angelou would say, “Try to be the rainbow in someone’s cloud,” and the teachers and staff of Maya Angelou Schools do so every day. It is not an easy job, but together, we can be a mighty force of change.  We can change the lives of the students we seek to serve.

Just a few weeks ago, the high school staff moved to the upper-level floors of the newly renovated Maya Angelou Learning Center. These sun-drenched classrooms will serve as the home base for our wonderful team of teachers and administrators. There is no doubt that the construction has been a period of endurance for us all, but we anticipate great transformations this year.

Even amid the renovation and transitions, Maya students continue to surprise and behold me. In this issue of See Forever, read about Omar Mobley, one of the four Young Adult Learning Center graduates who was chosen to intern with Forrester Construction on our renovation project. Also included in the newsletter is the essay of Shakira Hawkins, a senior at the high school who won a prestigious opportunity to study at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia through OSSE’s Summer Scholar program. And finally, our scholars at the Academy competed at yet another spectacular Speech Competition with incredibly moving and impassioned deliverances on the topic of power. You can read the top two speeches here.

We hope to make this a year of transformation and collaboration, not only with our partners, but also with our supporters and parents. Please come by and see the new space we will call home, meet our administration and teachers and experience the Maya Way.

We wish you a wonderful holiday season and look forward to celebrating the last month of 2014 with you!

Warm Regards,

Heather Wathington

 

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From the COO : Improvements and Move-Ins

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DSCF0062 copyWe are beginning a landmark year for the Maya Angelou family. This fall, the high school moved into its freshly renovated space with a brand new computer lab, media center, two fully provisioned science labs, dedicated classrooms for music and art, and much more. This month marks the completion of more than five years of work, with many of you as our partners, in renovating the Maya Angelou Learning Center.

One of the most exciting aspects of the renovation has been our students’ participation. They have been involved throughout the project, providing feedback on mockups and learning firsthand from our general contractor (Forrester Construction) in the classroom and on-site. During Phase II, Forrester took on four of our Young Adult Learning Center graduates as interns. The students proved their workforce skills as productive members of the time and several were extended beyond the internship to work with Forrester or subcontractors.

The 2014-15 school year and beyond will bring exciting opportunities for us. We have dramatically improved our information technology infrastructure, renovated our building, and sharpened our hiring and professional development practices. With your help, we are creating a renewed and re-energized network of schools to serve our students, their families, and our community well.

Chief Operating Officer


Chris Tessone is Chief Operating Officer of the See Forever Foundation and the Maya Angelou Public Charter Schools, where he directs day-to-day operations for the organization, develops and systematizes human resource policies, and has primary oversight in the areas of financial management, technology, security, and facilities. 

Alumni Spotlight: Romelle Simpson

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Photo by Louis Forget

 

Romelle is a 2009 graduate of the Maya Angelou High School—Evans Campus, member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, New Futures Scholar, and a freelance make-up artist. She is currently enrolled at the University of the District of Columbia Community College in Paralegal Studies and works full time at Baker Hostetler LLP as a Trademark Formalities Specialist.

Although Romelle has accomplished a great deal, her life hasn’t been a proverbial crystal stair. In 2007, her mother passed away, changing Romelle’s life forever.

Romelle remembers, “I was thrust into independence. I was a high school student at Maya Angelou. Ironically, at the time of her death, most of my classes were teaching us about the importance of setting goals and holding ourselves accountable. I applied those lessons to almost every area of my life. I had to. I struggled to support myself financially, but I made it work. I would make plans, hold myself accountable, and see the plan through.”

Now, Romelle plans to become an accredited patent attorney and she is well on her way. With her New Futures Scholarship of $6,400, Romelle hopes to obtain an Associate in Applied Science degree as a Legal Assistant in the next couple of years. From there, she plans to earn a Bachelor’s Degree, graduate Law School, and take the Patent Bar Exam.

Romelle believes, “If I didn’t have it so hard, I wouldn’t be so great. I am motivated, determined, and focused. I am grateful to have the Office of Alumni Support in my corner and looking forward to expanding my support system.”

We are so proud of Romelle’s spirit of industriousness, her grit, and her volition to persevere. Shout out to you, Romelle! Stay motivated, determined, and focused.The Maya Family is looking forward to having a barred patent attorney as part of the alumni family!

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Photo by Louis Forget

Volunteer Spotlight: WilmerHale

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Last school year marked yet another successful partnership year with WilmerHale LLP.  The relationship was established by co-founder and former WilmerHale lawyer, Mr. David Domenici, and has since become a mainstay in academic support for our students. For many years now, Maya Angelou students have participated in WilmerHale’s Tutoring Program every Monday evening. Each year, counselors and administrators at the school identify students they feel have demonstrated a particular commitment to their academics and could benefit greatly from additional, outside support. This year, we had nearly twenty students (grades 10 -12) attend the weekly one-on-one sessions at WilmerHale’s Washington D.C. office.

Many participants shared that they were especially excited to work with WilmerHale’s accomplished attorneys. For some students, these relationships have been instrumental in helping them persevere through challenges at home or with difficult classes. For others, the firm’s attorneys represent the pinnacle of career success, and many students have used the time to formulate their own career goals.

When asked to share a few words about her experience with the program, Tenika Ottley says she owes much of her success these last four years to Ms. Gayle. “Ms. Gayle has encouraged me and has shown me that she truly cares about me! I want to thank her for everything!”

Senior, Geraldine Bolden was grateful for the opportunity to work with Mr. Ben on developing effective interview strategies.  Geraldine was named Salutatorian of the Maya Angelou Public Charter High School Class of 2015, and she credits much of her preparation and success to her tutor.

Shakira Hawkins has aspirations of becoming a Veterinarian one day, and loves that she can “pick the brain” of someone she respects and admires. Shakira thanks her mentor for holding her accountable and not allowing her to rest on her laurels, despite already receiving good grades at Maya Angelou. Shakira received the highest honor of class Valedictorian this past June, and also credited much of her success to her wonderful mentor at WilmerHale.

If you are interested in tutoring or mentoring our students in various capacities this upcoming school year, please email Ms. Jazmin Dekle at jdekle@seeforever.org.

– Kamal Wright-Cunningham, Ph.D, Director of Socio-Emotional Learning and Culture, Maya Angelou High School

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