Saving a School

Devyn Smith knows there is power in speaking up. Earlier this year, he helped rally students to save Russell Conwell Middle School in Philadelphia (right).

This past January, school district leaders announced plans to close 20 of the city’s 218 schools, including Conwell. Student enrollment at the district’s schools was about 14 percent lower than it had been a decade earlier. Officials said the move would save money by combining students into fewer schools.

Devyn, then in eighth grade, wanted to protect Conwell. He says the school is the heart of his community. “It’s a safe space,” he explains. “They hold a lot of events there.” The school hosts soccer games and summer camp. It also has a food pantry for families in need.

So Devyn and a classmate led a community meeting in February on the school’s behalf. They recruited students and teachers to speak. Parents and alumni also joined in.

The group’s voices were heard. Soon after, the district decided to keep the school open. To boost enrollment, a local elementary school will feed into Conwell beginning next fall, and an honors program is being added.

“I was proud of what our community did to come together,” says Devyn, now in ninth grade. “When you speak, it can make a big change.”

—Lisa M. Herrington