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Wanda Wilburn, mother of three children at the Harvard School of Excellence:
I thought they might as well tear Harvard down and make it a parking lot. It was a war zone. I was afraid to bring my babies here. I actually put it an application for them to go to another school, and they had been accepted.
(The new principal) Mr. Cowling did it for me. It just seemed a more caring atmosphere. The administrators and teachers said, “We care, let’s join together and come up with the solution.”
In just two short months, a miracle was performed here. When I walked in the first day of school I was like a little child on Christmas. I was “Oh, wow, look what they did!” It was so beautiful. And the kids, said “Oh man we got new everything!” They had new desks, new chairs, computers, they had a science lab, computer lab, they had art, music, basketball. Our kids were like “Yeah yeah yeah! We’re Harvard Cougars!”
My baby was in first grade and couldn’t read. In second grade, she was embarrassed because she wasn’t where the other children were. I explained this to the teacher and she guaranteed me, “Don’t worry, we know where she’s at, and she’ll get there. She’s going to be fine.” For the first time this year, my baby sat down beside me and said, “Momma, can I sit down and read to you?” She blew me away. And I said, “Of course you can!” I was cleaning, but I put down the rag and I sat down and she read to me. |
