It’s 8:29 a.m. and the voices of 250 children can be heard spilling out onto 16th Street, Northwest. They sing their morning greetings in three different languages. They recite the school rules: “I will take care of myself. I will take care of others. I will take care of my community.” They sing the school song, and with that, another day has begun at the Elsie Whitlow Stokes Community Freedom Public Charter School.

For these children to succeed in living by our rules, we rely on passion and creativity. As educators, we apply high standards. We select teachers based on skills as well as on their devotion to learning. We encourage parents to participate in meaningful ways. Our classes are small, with 20 students and two teachers, and we provide immersion in two languages. With a faculty and staff from over 20 countries, we also expose our students to other cultures.

And just about every day, we listen to and implement innovative ideas that take the students’ experience a little further, a little deeper – ideas such as our Squash Club, which meets at the University Club of Washington; press passes for our Third Grade journalists; after-school screenings of self-produced movies; a Boys’ Book Club; and partnerships with the Washington Tennis Education Foundation and the Melrose Hotel, which serves an elegant breakfast each quarter for high-achieving students.

Our goal is the well-rounded student. Through our core programs, and by teaching according to the children’s unique talents and interests, we’re able to inspire each one to live up to our high expectations and to be the best person he or she can be.