There’s a physical border in the form of a massive cliff cutting off Hudson Heights from the rest of Washington Heights, but it’s the metaphorical barrier that truly divides. There are well-documented socioeconomic and ethnic differences that fall along this division. I am hopeful that we — Success Academy staff, faculty, and parents — are raising these citizens of the world that know how to embrace diversity and create positive change. Together, we’re shaping future leaders who will shatter metaphorical cliffs.

As scholars enter the school each morning, I greet them with a handshake. This is my favorite time of day because it’s often when I learn special, little tidbits about my students’ lives. After we say good morning to one another, scholars excitedly tell me about tooth fairy visits or the books they read the night before. […]