EDITOR:
Tonight was one of the proudest moments I've had in my 5 1⁄2 years of working at Sierra Crest Academy. Our students presented their civil-rights projects in Chautauqua storytelling style to staff, parents, family and friends. What moved me and what continues to move me at the academy is that I have witnessed students coming to us broken from their educational past for many different reasons, and on nights like tonight they are shining, grinning from ear to ear with pride. They are engaged and happy to share what they have learned.
Some students have faced challenges with a disability or with the law a year, a month or even a week ago. Some have made poor choices that have closed doors for them in their previous schooling experiences. For their success tonight I give credit to our staff, parents, and community members for their incredible patience, support and compassion. I also credit it to the privilege of having a small school. I have seen the school develop into a family every school year. Often, it's a place where students hold each other accountable for their actions.
This is the service that the school provides for this community. In a time when so many families are fighting to make it work, a community suffers when there is no place for struggling youth to go and be successful. It's not about just getting through a system or program. Tonight I witnessed presentations that you may have seen from an honors class performed by students that were not successful at their previous schools. Tonight parents, students and staff were gleaming.
Because of nights like this I hope in the upcoming weeks there is a way to keep the academy's doors open. If you are interested in offering support you can submit letters to the editor; attend school board meetings (the academy and Douglas County); call or e-mail me if you are interested in joining a committee to help keep SCA's doors open next year.
Also, if you are interested in mentoring SCA students, giving a workshop, cleaning or making a monetary or non-monetary contribution please call or e-mail me at kuniya@sierracrestacademy.org. Regardless of whether we are open next year, we can always use your support this school year!
To the SCA students, I want to say I am so proud of you. Great job.
Alisa Kuniya
Minden
