History
The Elsie Whitlow Stokes Community Freedom Public Charter School was founded in 1998 with 35 kindergarten and first grade students. Having added one grade each year, the school currently enrolls 250 kindergarten through sixth grade students.

Mission
Established in 1998, the Elsie Whitlow Stokes Community Freedom Public Charter School, prepares 250 culturally diverse elementary school students in the District of Columbia to be leaders, scholars and responsible citizens. We teach children to think, speak, read, write and learn in two languages: English and French or English or Spanish. With a dual focus on academic excellence and community service, the Stokes School accomplishes its mission by creating an environment of achievement, respect and non-violence.

Vision
We believe that all children can achieve and become contributing citizens. We believe that the capacity to communicate and live successfully within culturally and diverse environments and the commitment to serving one’s community are critical to the development of tomorrow’s leaders.

To prepare our students for leadership, our school places a high value on academic excellence, fluency in multiple languages, community service, respect for diversity and emotional, moral, physical and social well-being.

To support our students’ development, our school maintains a nurturing environment where culturally diverse faculty and staff model compassion, fairness, service to others, enthusiasm for learning, and the capacity to thrive within a diverse community. In our work with students, Stokes School prepares young learners to challenge national and international academic standards; to navigate successfully within their own communities and within the cultures of others; and to function as responsible citizens and leaders. Stokes School intentionally welcomes parents, families and community members as partners in the support of students’ development. Concomitantly, Stokes School offers support to parents, families and community members as they support our students.

As a result of these efforts, Stokes School scholars have the ability to:

• Define and discuss their views in a minimum of two languages
• Express themselves clearly and comfortably using written, oral and artistic media
• Demonstrate critical thinking
• Work cooperatively with others to produce projects which fully use the skills of all participants
• Demonstrate responsibility to their communities
• Display curiosity, openness, sensitivity and acceptance of diversity and alternative strategies for approaching and resolving issues.