• Will Obama come see them? Middle schoolers make plans to visit DC
• 3rd graders adorn their windows with beautiful artwork.
• The middle schooler's journalism class' blog is up and running.
• Asante to Plantronics for their generous donatinon of headsets; the headsets will support our video editing course, piano/keyboard instruction, as well as general use in the computer labs
• Asante to RoyaltyFreeMusic.com for allowing freee use of music from their stock library

If they're lucky, maybe Obama will invite them for dinner. The middle school students are preparing for their first out-of-state field trip to our nation's capital - Washington, DC. during our spring break.

Students have been preparing for the trip the entire year. They've taken responsibility for raising money for the trip, and have developed brochures, flyers, and a small business to promote the trip while securing sponsors.

They leave on a red-eye from SFO on Sunday, April 5 and won't return until Saturday, April 11. During the hectic week they'll visit the White House, tour the Washington Mall, visit the homes of Frederick Douglass, Mary McLeod Bethune, and Carter G. Woodson. They have a scheduled tour at Howard University and will attend several college classes, and have been honored with a meeting with BET's CEO and COO. The trip will also include stops at the Smithsonian Museum, the National Zoo, and the Bureau of Engraving and Printing to see how money is produced. Along the way, they'll be sure get in some swimming, shopping, and enjoy the variety of restaurants in DC, including Ben's Chili Bowl.

The students want to thank so many of you who have generously donated towards our DC trip, and invite you to return to our website after the trip to share in their experiences.

Window art adorns the John Coltrane classroom. Mama Tyanne led her third grade class in the creation of wonderful window art. With spring's arrival the artwork is especially brilliant during the day. See a slideshow of some of their designs by clicking on "Slideshow" below.

Ujima Dinner. Our youngest students, preschoolers through second grade, hosted the 2nd Annual Ujima dinner. The dinners are organized by the staff, and many of the meals are prepared by the children. The dinners are the brainchild of Mama Oyin, and is a way to teach children the principle of ujima ("collective work and responsibility).

This is an appreciation dinner for all of the parents, and the young people take responsibility for serving their parents, as well as serving as hosts for the evening. This year the event was moved from the preschool room to the larger meeting hall to accomdate its growing popularity.