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.

Last month, parents at my daughter’s school, SA Washington Heights, gathered in the auditorium to hear Ms. DePalo explain why Success Academy and other charter schools are marching in Prospect Park on September 28.

At Success, we believe that children who love reading and select books for themselves drive their own learning and become lifelong readers. There is power and possibility in falling in love with books!

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. […]