February 11, 2009 2:48 PM
- Text
The Girls' Academy That's A Family
(CBS)
This is the third part in a series, "Eye on Education: Making the Grade."
Peek into any classroom at Esperanza Academy, both on- and off-campus, and you'll notice things are done a little differently here.
"Being an independent school, it allows us to break out of the box," said the school's founder, Laurie Bottinger.
Way out of the box, reports CBS News correspondent Michelle Miller.
"We mummified a chicken for social studies!" said one student, Rosalia Garcia.
It's not your average show-and-tell history lesson, but a memorable one. What's it like to be at the school?
"It's like a second family, because all of us are like sisters," Rosalia said.
Student Catherine Perez added: "I don't ever want to leave this school."
That's because 80 girls from 5th to 8th grade spend 11 hours a day, 11 months a year … together.
They eat three meals at the academy, pray there and complete their homework there. Even parents are required to volunteer two hours a week. Add a smaller class-size of 10 students or fewer, and that's what makes the school so different.
English is their second language; most of these girls are first-generation Americans. And their parents are earning less than $15,000 a year in one of the poorest cities in Massachusetts.
But Esperanza is part of NativityMiguel, a private network of schools with a 10-year track record dedicated to under-served communities. Their students have a 21 percent higher graduation rate than students nationally. And twice as many of them go on to college.
"It's our responsibility to make sure that we provide social equity by making sure the kids in the city, the poor kids in the inner-city, have the same opportunities," Bottinger said.
Those are opportunities from music … to horseplay.
But the biggest change is in their attitude.
"You goals to be more focused on your work," Catherine said.
At Esperanza, they're guaranteed a second family for life.
"What I know is I will do what it takes for every one of these girls to take that graduation diploma," Bottinger said. "It's wrong in this country that is so wealthy, for us to not believe in every single kid."
Peek into any classroom at Esperanza Academy, both on- and off-campus, and you'll notice things are done a little differently here.
"Being an independent school, it allows us to break out of the box," said the school's founder, Laurie Bottinger.
Way out of the box, reports CBS News correspondent Michelle Miller.
"We mummified a chicken for social studies!" said one student, Rosalia Garcia.
It's not your average show-and-tell history lesson, but a memorable one. What's it like to be at the school?
"It's like a second family, because all of us are like sisters," Rosalia said.
Student Catherine Perez added: "I don't ever want to leave this school."
That's because 80 girls from 5th to 8th grade spend 11 hours a day, 11 months a year … together.
They eat three meals at the academy, pray there and complete their homework there. Even parents are required to volunteer two hours a week. Add a smaller class-size of 10 students or fewer, and that's what makes the school so different.
English is their second language; most of these girls are first-generation Americans. And their parents are earning less than $15,000 a year in one of the poorest cities in Massachusetts.
The statistical trends in Lawrence, Mass., aren't pretty. The city has the highest teen-pregnancy rate and one of the lowest graduation rates for girls in the state. And the numbers are getting worse.
Blog: Learn more about what Miller saw at Esperanza Academy.
But Esperanza is part of NativityMiguel, a private network of schools with a 10-year track record dedicated to under-served communities. Their students have a 21 percent higher graduation rate than students nationally. And twice as many of them go on to college.
"It's our responsibility to make sure that we provide social equity by making sure the kids in the city, the poor kids in the inner-city, have the same opportunities," Bottinger said.
Those are opportunities from music … to horseplay.
But the biggest change is in their attitude.
"You goals to be more focused on your work," Catherine said.
At Esperanza, they're guaranteed a second family for life.
"What I know is I will do what it takes for every one of these girls to take that graduation diploma," Bottinger said. "It's wrong in this country that is so wealthy, for us to not believe in every single kid."
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