Why open a school? To close a prison
-
0:01 - 0:05When I opened Mott Hall
Bridges Academy in 2010, -
0:06 - 0:08my goal was simple:
-
0:09 - 0:12open a school to close a prison.
-
0:13 - 0:16Now to some, this was an audacious goal,
-
0:16 - 0:19because our school is located
in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn -- -
0:20 - 0:23one of the most underserved
and violent neighborhoods -
0:23 - 0:25in all of New York City.
-
0:26 - 0:30Like many urban schools
with high poverty rates, -
0:30 - 0:33we face numerous challenges,
-
0:33 - 0:36like finding teachers who can empathize
-
0:36 - 0:39with the complexities
of a disadvantaged community, -
0:40 - 0:43lack of funding for technology,
-
0:43 - 0:45low parental involvement
-
0:45 - 0:51and neighborhood gangs that recruit
children as early as fourth grade. -
0:53 - 0:54So here I was,
-
0:55 - 1:01the founding principal of a middle school
that was a district public school, -
1:02 - 1:05and I only had 45 kids to start.
-
1:06 - 1:09Thirty percent of them had special needs.
-
1:10 - 1:13Eighty-six percent of them
were below grade level -
1:13 - 1:15in English and in math.
-
1:16 - 1:20And 100 percent were living
below the poverty level. -
1:21 - 1:25If our children are not in our classrooms,
-
1:25 - 1:26how will they learn?
-
1:27 - 1:29And if they're not learning,
-
1:29 - 1:30where would they end up?
-
1:31 - 1:36It was evident when I would
ask my 13-year-old, -
1:36 - 1:38"Young man,
-
1:38 - 1:41where do you see yourself in five years?"
-
1:42 - 1:43And his response:
-
1:44 - 1:46"I don't know if I'm gonna
live that long." -
1:47 - 1:50Or to have a young woman say to me
-
1:51 - 1:56that she had a lifelong goal
of working in a fast-food restaurant. -
1:57 - 1:59To me, this was unacceptable.
-
2:00 - 2:03It was also evident that they had no idea
-
2:03 - 2:05that there was a landscape of opportunity
-
2:05 - 2:08that existed beyond their neighborhood.
-
2:09 - 2:14We call our students "scholars,"
because they're lifelong learners. -
2:15 - 2:16And the skills that they learn today
-
2:16 - 2:20will prepare them for college
and career readiness. -
2:21 - 2:25I chose the royal colors
of purple and black, -
2:26 - 2:31because I want them to be reminded
that they are descendants of greatness, -
2:31 - 2:32and that through education,
-
2:32 - 2:34they are future engineers,
-
2:35 - 2:36scientists,
-
2:36 - 2:37entrepreneurs
-
2:37 - 2:41and even leaders who can and will
take over this world. -
2:43 - 2:44To date,
-
2:44 - 2:47we have had three graduating classes,
-
2:48 - 2:49at a 98 --
-
2:49 - 2:53(Applause)
-
2:58 - 3:01At a 98-percent graduation rate.
-
3:02 - 3:05This is nearly 200 children,
-
3:05 - 3:08who are now going to some of the most
competitive high schools -
3:08 - 3:10in New York City.
-
3:10 - 3:15(Applause)
-
3:18 - 3:20It was a cold day in January
-
3:21 - 3:25when my scholar, Vidal Chastanet,
met Brandon Stanton, -
3:25 - 3:29the founder of the popular blog
"Humans of New York." -
3:30 - 3:34Brandon shared the story
of a young man from Brownsville -
3:34 - 3:37who had witnessed violence firsthand,
-
3:38 - 3:42by witnessing a man
being thrown off of a roof. -
3:42 - 3:46Yet he can still
be influenced by a principal -
3:46 - 3:49who had opened up a school
that believes in all children. -
3:50 - 3:56Vidal embodies the story of so many
of our underprivileged children -
3:56 - 3:58who are struggling to survive,
-
3:59 - 4:03which is why we must
make education a priority. -
4:04 - 4:07Brandon's post created a global sensation
-
4:07 - 4:10that touched the lives of millions.
-
4:11 - 4:15This resulted in 1.4 million
dollars being raised -
4:15 - 4:21for our scholars to attend field trips
to colleges and universities, -
4:22 - 4:24Summer STEAM programs,
-
4:24 - 4:27as well as college scholarships.
-
4:28 - 4:29You need to understand
-
4:29 - 4:34that when 200 young people
from Brownsville visited Harvard, -
4:35 - 4:37they now understood
-
4:37 - 4:41that a college of their choice
was a real possibility. -
4:42 - 4:46And the impossibilities
that had been imposed upon them -
4:46 - 4:49by a disadvantaged community
-
4:49 - 4:52were replaced by hope and purpose.
-
4:53 - 4:58The revolution in education
is happening in our schools, -
4:59 - 5:03with adults who provide love,
-
5:03 - 5:04structure,
-
5:04 - 5:05support
-
5:05 - 5:06and knowledge.
-
5:07 - 5:10These are the things
that inspire children. -
5:11 - 5:13But it is not an easy task.
-
5:14 - 5:16And there are high demands
-
5:17 - 5:20within an education system
that is not perfect. -
5:21 - 5:24But I have a dynamic group of educators
-
5:25 - 5:29who collaborate as a team to determine
what is the best curriculum. -
5:30 - 5:32They take time beyond their school day,
-
5:32 - 5:34and come in on weekends
-
5:34 - 5:38and even use their own money
to often provide resources -
5:39 - 5:41when we do not have it.
-
5:42 - 5:44And as the principal,
-
5:44 - 5:47I have to inspect what I expect.
-
5:47 - 5:49So I show up in classes
-
5:50 - 5:53and I conduct observations
to give feedback, -
5:53 - 5:56because I want my teachers
to be just as successful -
5:56 - 5:59as the name Mott Hall Bridges Academy.
-
6:00 - 6:04And I give them access to me
every single day, -
6:04 - 6:07which is why they all have
my personal cell number, -
6:07 - 6:10including my scholars
and those who graduated -- -
6:10 - 6:13which is probably why I get
phone calls and text messages -
6:13 - 6:14at three o'clock in the morning.
-
6:14 - 6:16(Laughter)
-
6:16 - 6:19But we are all connected to succeed,
-
6:19 - 6:21and good leaders do this.
-
6:22 - 6:26Tomorrow's future is sitting
in our classrooms. -
6:26 - 6:28And they are our responsibility.
-
6:30 - 6:32That means everyone in here,
-
6:32 - 6:34and those who are watching the screen.
-
6:35 - 6:37We must believe in their brilliance,
-
6:38 - 6:41and remind them by teaching them
-
6:41 - 6:45that there indeed is power in education.
-
6:46 - 6:47Thank you.
-
6:47 - 6:57(Applause)
- Title:
- Why open a school? To close a prison
- Speaker:
- Nadia Lopez
- Description:
-
Our kids are our future, and it's crucial they believe it themselves. That's why Nadia Lopez opened an academic oasis in Brownsville, Brooklyn, one of the most underserved and violent neighborhoods in all of New York City -- because she believes in every child's brilliance and capabilities. In this short, energizing talk, the founding principal of Mott Hall Bridges Academy (and a star of Humans of New York) shares how she helps her scholars envision a brighter future for themselves and their families.
- Video Language:
- English
- Team:
- closed TED
- Project:
- TEDTalks
- Duration:
- 07:10
Brian Greene edited English subtitles for Why open a school? To close a prison | ||
Brian Greene edited English subtitles for Why open a school? To close a prison | ||
Brian Greene approved English subtitles for Why open a school? To close a prison | ||
Brian Greene edited English subtitles for Why open a school? To close a prison | ||
Camille Martínez accepted English subtitles for Why open a school? To close a prison | ||
Camille Martínez edited English subtitles for Why open a school? To close a prison | ||
Camille Martínez edited English subtitles for Why open a school? To close a prison | ||
Leslie Gauthier edited English subtitles for Why open a school? To close a prison |