Student Voices Matter
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Student Voices Matter Following a robust community engagement and consultation process, ACPS moved into phase two of The Identity Project as we consider new names for both T.C. Williams High School and Matthew Maury Elementary School. The second phase of The Identity Project — the selection of new names — ensures that students, staff, alumni, families and the community are all heard. Most importantly, we want to keep the next generation and our students' voices at the heart of this process. To assist the community with suggested names for both schools, we invited all ACPS students to participate in an essay/poster campaign to submit names for community consideration. Following this process, the community is invited to choose one of the student selections or to submit a new nomination. The first community polls for T.C. Williams High School and Matthew Maury Elementary School will be open from Jan. 13 through Jan. 27 at 11:59 p.m. We are thrilled to have 119 student entries representing 50 different name suggestions for T.C. Williams High School and 29 different name suggestions for Matthew Maury Elementary School. Note: Please know that student entries that suggested keeping the same names of the two schools were not added to this document due to the fact that the Alexandria City School Board has already voted to change the names. At this point in time, only names different from the existing names are being considered. Additionally, name submissions that did not follow the posted criteria, did not add an essay or poster, or did not have a completed entry were not added to this document. Names submitted by ACPS students to rename T.C. Williams High School Places People Concepts Alexandria City Public High John C. Albohm High School Anime High School School Alexandria High School Howard L Baugh High School Diversity High School King Street High School Herman Boone High School Eisenstadt High School The City of Alexandria High Boone-Yoast High School One For Everyone High School (TC Alexandria HS) School North Potomac High School G.W. Carver High School Red Raven High School Nolan B. Dawkins High School Rose High School George Floyd Memorial High Titan Community High School School (T.C.) Ruth Bader Ginsberg High School Titan High School Alexander Hamilton High School Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton High School Kamala Harris High School Prince Harry High School Josiah Henson High School Hercules High School Jarad Higgins High School Edwin J. Houston High School Blois Hundley High School Henry Johnson High School Katherine Johnson High School Petey Jones High School John F. Kennedy High School Martin Luther King High School Vola Lawson High School McCoy-Thomas High School Meghan Markle High School James Monroe High School Zelia Ball Page High School Rosa Parks High School Markus Persson High School Amelia Piper High School George Lewis Seaton High School Brian Sicknick High School Harriet Tubman High School Mary Edwards Walker High School Booker T. Washington High School George Washington High School Malala Yousafzai High School Names That Represent Places Alexandria City High School (submitted by M. H.) Because all humans are fallible, eventually someone will be offended by their transgressions. (submitted by V. P.) Alexandria City High School Name Proposal Renaming TC Williams High School is important to providing an equal and equitable environment for all students. That is why it is vital that the new name of the school be inclusive, and make every student feel their school represents them in a positive manner. This is why I propose that TC Williams High School be renamed “Alexandria City High School”. The students attending this school have one major thing in common, their city. This city has fought to get the name of the school changed, and the students and youth of the city have worked tirelessly to fix what is broken. Recognizing the coming-together of a population to make positive change and to ensure the inclusion of everyone, is crucial to setting an example for the future, and showing that we are prepared to do what is right. This name allows everyone to see that they matter, they are an essential part of the city, and an important piece of a community that cares for each and every single member. Please consider the suggestion of “Alexandria City High School” for the renaming of such a meaningful establishment. Alexandria City Public High School (submitted by A. B., O. K. and A. D.) I think that they should change the name to Alexandria City Public High School due to the fact that every person has done wrong also as it is the only public high school it would fit. Alexandria High School (submitted by F. K.) the school for a person would I think T.C. Willimas should (submitted by K. D.). inevitably exclude some be renamed Alexandria High The name is not group. However, School because it’s the only controversial, it's simple. naming it for the city we all high school in Alexandria, so share would leave it open it fits perfectly without any (submitted by M. H.) ended. With the schools confusion. Ours is a diverse school renaming we have an without any one identity. That opportunity to (submitted by G. W.) is why I feel as though remind students every day renaming that this is their high school to build on. (submitted by Z. S.) Why is nearly every school in Alexandria named after a historical figure? Haven't we learned that history has different perspectives, that no person is without fault, and you can't please everyone? Naming schools, streets, bridges, parks and stadiums after historical figures is not necessary to preserve history. Let's preserve the history of place by naming the only high school in our city "Alexandria High School". Let's give recognition to the city where we live, work and grow. Root the identity of the school in the area it represents. Call it what it is. History and prominent people can be learned through information placards, books, tours, landmarks, etc. Keep opinions out of the school name; keep the possibilities of future offenses out of the school name. Stop naming schools after people. (submitted by O. D.) My name is Oliver. Because I am in kindergarten, I said it would be okay for my dad to help me submit a name recommendation. Dad told me that one of the best things about living in Alexandria is that I will get to go to high school here because there were students from almost 60 different countries and from families of different incomes. He explained that not all schools are like this and the opportunity to mix with such a variety of students would be an educational experience in and of itself. When we go to the grocery store, Dad shows me the t-shirts and sweatshirts for the high school that are on sale and how when we go to stores in places nearby that we do not see this. Dad was happy when they decided to keep one high school for the town because it shows the pride of Alexandria. However, because we have people from so many different places naming the school after a person would be bad. Some people will like the person and others won’t and that would be divisive. That’s why we think it would be best simply to call it Alexandria High School. King Street High School (submitted by C. A.) T.C. Williams High School should be renamed King Street High School because it is not tied to any person or group, and it is geographical while also leaving room for another high school to be built and have a similar name. The City of Alexandria High School (TC Alexandria High School) (Submitted by S. S.) (submitted by E. B.) Alexandria City Public Schools has numerous schools named after famous and infamous people. What we don’t yet have is a school named after the city itself. Why not make the one building in which all the kids in ACPS go, the one? Choosing this name would allow us to keep our TC Titans because The City of Alexandria High School would be TCAHS. The name also wouldn’t spike much controversy because it is named after the city, and would also allow everyone to feel included since it isn’t named after someone of a particular race, ethnicity, and/or gender. I think that the school should be renamed The City of Alexandria High School because it is a representation of our city. It would be a very easy name to remember and something that could be catchy. One perk, as mentioned before, is that the name wouldn’t be controversial in any way(unless someone has a grudge against the name Alexandria) because it would be named after the city of Alexandria. In choosing the name The City of Alexandria we could still keep our TC since we would be ‘The City’. (Submitted by J. L.) In choosing a new name for TC Williams High School, the focus should be on one that is all-inclusive, continues the legacy of the school, and embodies Titan pride. Current students and alumni alike talk about their Titan pride, and people from around the world know us from the movie Remember the Titans. In fact, saying “TC” and “TC Titans” is more commonly heard than the full name of TC Williams High School. Also, choosing the name of one particular person for a school is very hard as there will always be groups left unhappy by the choice.