Mélon-Tully: There is growth and opportunity happening in OKCPS

Growth and Opportunity were the key themes at the State of OKCPS meeting held a few weeks ago. This gathering is an annual event where Oklahoma City Public Schools leaders share highlights with state legislators and local leaders.

Yes, there were great reports about strategic initiatives and innovative plans presented by Oklahoma City Public Schools leaders, leaving no doubt about the school district’s positioning for growth and opportunity. But, it was the students in the room who provided the audience with inspiration and boundless hope for our future.

Pre-event entertainment was provided by classical guitar students from U.S. Grant High School. The event started with a multidisciplinary dance performance by students from Classen SAS High School at Northeast. At one point during the routine, there was a glitch in the recorded music and the room became awkwardly silent. The dancers kept dancing like pros. Within 15 seconds, the U.S. Grant High School guitar students began playing. They’d figured out the music tempo and decided very quickly they could fill the silence for fellow students, even ones they’d never met.

The program was closed by Fredy Lopez. Fredy is a senior at Northwest Classen High School and serves as the Oklahoma City Public Schools' teen superintendent, elected by his peers on the superintendent’s Student Leader Advisory Council. Fredy shared his appreciation for all the opportunities the school district has provided him. He talked about Oklahoma City Public Schools' teachers who believed in him, from elementary through high school, and pushed him to grow as a leader. He shared his appreciation for the Oklahoma City Public Schools Foundation and the support the community provides our schools. He thanked Superintendent Sean McDaniel and shared that his experience on the superintendent’s Advisory Council made him realize he wants to be in education.

We hope he will soon apply for our Teacher Pipeline Program.

Fredy was articulate, warm and genuine. It’s easy to see why he is the student council president at his school and why he was elected teen superintendent. He was more poise speaking in public than many people three times his age and it’s obvious he truly has pride in his school district.

The rest of Fredy’s story is important because it provides a window into the lives of so many of our 33,000 students.

Fredy wakes up early every morning to take his little sister to school. He waits with her in the drop off line because he wants to be sure she gets inside and he doesn’t want her to get cold. That sometimes makes him late for his own first hour of class, but he does all he can to keep up with his school work and extracurricular activities that mean so much to him. He attends school all day and leaves immediately for his nearly full-time job at a landscaping company. He works to earn money to help his family. Despite the heavy load he carries, his positive energy fills the room.

There is growth, opportunity and hope happening in Oklahoma City Public Schools. If all the data and programs and plans don’t convince you, just ask Fredy.

Mary Mélon-Tully is president and CEO of the Oklahoma City Public Schools Foundation. 

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Growth, opportunity happening in Oklahoma City Public Schools