How Heights public schools shaped me

Have you spent time at Heights High in the past 10 years? I mean really spent time there—no meetings, no walk throughs, no stories on the news. The answer is probably not.

I spent every day of my life there from 2014–18, and every day of my life before that at Roxboro Middle School, and before that at Fairfax Elementary School. So, when I say that going to Cleveland Heights public schools was the best decision my parents could have ever made for me, I know what I am talking about.

I learned so much more at those schools than I could have anywhere else. I learned about cultures from all over the world from my peers, and how to be a brave and confident performer in countless well-produced concerts. I learned that not everyone is as fortunate as I was, while others are more fortunate than I will possibly ever be. I learned that public school teachers can be some of the kindest, most hardworking people in the world, as are the custodial staff and administrators.

For every negative thing you hear about the schools, there are countless more moments of positivity every single day inside of them. There is no test or state report card or district budget that could ever truly describe what happens at those schools.

As a student at an Ivy League institution, I have met students from some of the most elite preparatory and private schools in the country. I have never felt that my education was subpar to theirs. Not only do I feel just as smart and academically prepared, but [I feel] even more prepared for the real world than my counterparts. I have seen many students from these schools unable to handle hardship or deal with those different from them.

The Heights schools taught me how to be open-minded, resilient, focused and empathetic. Without these skills, I would not be where I am today, or feel confident about my path to the future. Heights gave me the tools necessary to truly see the world for all that it and its inhabitants have to offer.

Londyn Crenshaw

Londyn Crenshaw is a lifelong Cleveland Heights resident and current Dartmouth student. 

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Volume 13, Issue 2, Posted 12:06 PM, 02.01.2020