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On Wednesday September 24, 2014, I had the honor of attending the opening ceremony for the Friendship Technology Preparatory Academy. I didn’t know what to expect but I knew from the moment I was greeted with a warm smile by the security and school personnel that I was in for a real treat. It was a very well planned and enthusiastic event.

The newly built school is beautiful, as you quickly notice vivid colors and words of inspiration on the walls as you enter the school. The auditorium was decorated in maroon and white and the seats were filled with media, school leaders, community leaders, parents and students. Everyone was united in the celebration of change, growth and creation of new opportunities for students.

The ceremony opened with presentations from the Friendship Chamberlain Drum Corps and the Friendship Collegiate Academy Leadership team. They stepped, marched, danced and drummed their way into our hearts. Deborah Simmons from the Washington Times was the Mistress of Ceremonies. She wanted us to take note of change right before us as we watched and enjoyed some girls playing non- traditional female instruments.

The principal, Doranna Tindle, gave the Opening Remarks. She was energized and excited for the opportunity to grow leaders and innovators. She wants to see that students “aren’t just using cell phones but they are building cell phones. “ Bishop Cheryl McBride Brown, was captivating as she offered her dedication and words of faith. As if her dedication wasn’t uplifting enough, The Howard University Gospel Choir lifted our spirits even more with two vocal selections and encouraging the students to “Hold On! Change is Coming!”

Ayanna Gregory, a daughter of the civil rights movement and artist, educator and activist, reminded the students that they are “Star People” and everything they need to succeed is inside of them. Dr. Gregory S. Prince , Vice Chairman of the Friendship Public Charter School Board of Trustees was humorous in his greeting but was very serious when it came to the topic of education in America. He believes one of the flaws in our education system is that the ideas are often from the top down. He is thrilled to give students a voice and a chance to make a difference, make a change from the ground up and to help save the education system. We were then greeted by the Honorable Marion Barry, Councilmember, Ward 8. He stated that education has to be a way out of poverty & mediocrity. Every parent ought to have a choice on what school his or her child should attend. The Honorable David A Catania, Councilmember At-Large and mayoral candidate delivered the keynote address. He shared statistics of the number of bachelor degrees, the unemployment rate and family incomes of Ward 3 versus Ward 8 (Friendship Technology Preparatory Academy is in Ward 8). The difference was alarming. He made the point that it was not fair but having a school like Friendship Technology Preparatory Academy is an opportunity to make a change. He said it best when he said; “The price of not getting out of bed <to come to school> is high!”

With much anticipation, Donald L. Hense, Chairman, approached the podium with a rousing round of applause. Strong in his presence, he very humbly acknowledged and thanked the many people who helped support his vision for the newly built Friendship Technology Preparatory Academy. After the ceremony, I had a brief opportunity to meet Mr. Hense.

After the program, some of the attendees went on a tour of school, which was led by the students. We had the opportunity to visit some of the classrooms. One of the highlights was seeing the smartwalls. The students and teachers have the opportunity to write and easily erase on the surface while they are teaching and learning. One of the students had mentioned they LOVE that they can do that! It’s cutting edge technology at work!

Rita Burns, Administrative Assistant