As an education researcher and a former teacher, I have spent a lot of time thinking about the plight of urban schools and their challenges with poverty, student achievement, and teacher quality and turnover. Amidon-Bowen Elementary School in Southwest faces many of these issues: Test scores are low, and 78% of students qualify for free […]
NASM Explainers Program Expands Beyond DC
A 25-minute walk from the Southwest Waterfront and you can be among the stars! That is about how long it takes to the fabulous National Air and Space Museum (NASM) in the Southwest quadrant. One of the most popular programs at NASM is the “explainers.” This diverse group of high school and college students (they’re […]
Scholarship Awards Double from Last Year

Photo caption: Scholarship students (first row, left to right): Kiana Livingston, Bianca Kersellius, Haili Blassingame, Sequoia Lucas, and Najma Pettiford. (Second row, left to right): Tiffany Livingston, Roman Hamilton, Gary T. Hill, Tsahai Pettiford, and Attalah Shabazz. Not pictured: Asha Marshall and Marlon Mitchell. Photo caption: Sequoia Lucas with some of her art. Photo caption: Tsahai Pettiford explains […]
Why SW Families Choose Amidon-Bowen

Families in Southwest and across the District enjoy a wide array of options when choosing a school for their children. There are private schools, charter schools, and public schools in other quadrants. Then there is the neighborhood school, sometimes considered a last resort for families striving to find the best education for their children. In […]
Computer-for-Kids Graduation
photo caption: (Front row, left-to-right) Stevon Benson, Jamera Herndon, Miracle Matthews, Ravon Benson. (Second row, left-to-right) Deron Hawkins, Thelma Jones, Jade Herndon and Enoch Long. Mr. Long was featured speaker and is an expert on Cybersecurity. He is a former Southwester and was a past recipient of scholarships from the SouthwestNeighborhood Assembly. Photo courtesy of Perry […]
Why SW Families Are Choosing Neighborhood Schools

Photo caption: The Sprafkin family. Families in Southwest and across the District enjoy a wide array of options when choosing a school for their children. There are private schools, charter schools, and public schools in other quadrants. Then there is the neighborhood school, sometimes considered a last resort for families striving to find the […]
News from Waterfront Academy

Hispanic Heritage The students of Waterfront Academy walked to the Smithsonian’s Discovery Theater on the National Mall, had a picnic on the grass, and then enjoyed the show “Uno, Dos, Tres con Andres” to celebrate Hispanic Heritage month. “Uno, Dos, Tres con Andres” is a bilingual children’s music show that celebrates Latin culture. Waterfront Academy is […]