Convening community around Durham's public schools

Durham, DPS leaders reflect on the transformative power of supporting students, schools

How can we continue to support thriving public schools?

This spring, leaders from Durham Public Schools and the local community gathered to reflect upon this very question and DPS Foundation (DPSF)’s role in sustaining the work.

DPSF was founded in 2018 to strengthen the connection between Durham and its public schools. Shortly after our founding, we rallied the community to ensure students, teachers, and families were supported with food, internet, and other resources during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, we have continued to grow in our efforts to sustain the Durham public school ecosystem. 

“I just think this is amazing work,” said Dr. Quincey Farmer, Fayetteville Street Elementary principal. “I don't see too many other organizations doing this kind of work that’s really just centered in empowering schools financially with hands-on deck, with support, with advocacy. I just think it's amazing.”

Hear what different voices have to say about the current state and future of Durham’s public education and how the community will continue to play a role in sustaining it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvKF1hXFyDk&feature=youtu.be

*Spanish captions will be made available at a later date.

We like to give a wholehearted thanks to T&T Creative Group for donating their time, creativity, knowledge, and skills to create this flagship video. We also like to thank these stakeholders for their time: 

• Lori O’Keefe, Triangle Community Foundation President and CEO

• Elena Maina, Student U Executive Director

• Jade Smith, DPSF Board Member 

• Dr. Quincey Farmer, Fayetteville Street Elementary Principal, who also opened his school up for additional filming

• Chinaza Okpalakunne & Kaila Kissi, City of Medicine Academy students and grantees

• Tomika Freeman, Murray-Massenburg Elementary Educator 

“When the community invests in public schools, it just means that the community has decided that the children are important, we are coming together, we're working together as a team, and we are going to make our schools be what they need to be,” said Freeman.