Like any other parent I want only the best for my children, and their education is no exception. Several years ago, my family was one of the lucky winners of the charter school lottery, and my son was admitted to New Life Academy of Excellence in Duluth.
We became interested in this school after friends spoke proudly about how the institution not only values excellence but also prepares students to be successful in a global economy, offering language programs like Mandarin Chinese, for example.
“We cannot afford a private school, and New Life Academy of Excellence is a great alternative to a public school,” said Diana Vesga, a Hispanic mother whose daughter has attended school there since kindergarten.
That commitment is evident from the moment you walk through the school doors, attend a PTA function or meet with teachers.
“Our kids are very fortunate to have won this lottery,” I told myself.
As an immigrant, diversity is an issue that is near and dear to my heart, so I was delighted to discover that my son would be attending a school where inclusivity is a top priority. At New Life Academy, over half of the student population is African American, followed by Hispanic and Caucasian (8 percent for both); Asian (6 percent) and multi-ethnic (14 percent).
“Gwinnett County has a very diverse school district, and our desire is to become a multicultural school that educates children of all nationalities. Next year we are expecting even more diversity among the students that will be joining us in kindergarten,” said Alphonsa Foward Jr., principal of New Life Academy of Excellence.
Out of the mouths of babes
Several weeks after classes began, I received an important lesson on race from my own son. I asked him about his friends: “What race are they?” A bit of a tough question for a first grader, I realized after the fact.
“What do you mean?” he asked, slightly bewildered. “Are they Hispanic, African-American, Asian, white?” I prompted. My son’s response was priceless: “I don’t know, they are just my friends.”
That simple phrase taught me a great lessons — children have pure and innocent souls, and they do not see differences in the color of skin or race. For my son, his classmates all fit into one broad category — “friend.”
As adults we have a lot to learn from our children, especially as our country and communities become increasingly diversified. We see it every day in our neighborhoods, schools, churches and shopping centers.
Maybe someday we, too, will see a world without color and learn to truly embrace the diversity that is quickly becoming so prevalent in Gwinnett and Georgia. Hopefully, one day there won’t be color or race for us either, just “friends.”
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