John R. Lewis Leadership Program Sought By Fairfax School Board

SPRINGFIELD, VA — At a work session on Tuesday, the Fairfax County School Board expressed support for a John R. Lewis Leadership Program at Lewis High School.

The John R. Lewis Leadership Program would be modeled after the Global STEM Challenges Program at Edison High School but with curriculum focused on government, public policy, leadership, and human right in honor of the namesake, the late John R. Lewis. The program is proposed to have full-time enrollment but would require funding and a multi-year effort to develop it.

According to a presentation to the school board, the program would offer three levels of opportunities for students. All students would receive concept-based learning in the core curriculum with a focus on leadership, service, advocacy and justice. On the second level, students could choose to get involved on a deeper level with community and inquiry-based service learning experiences. On the third level, students could choose specialized coursework with opportunities for internships and college credit in civic leadership and public policy fields.

"I am proud that the Lewis Leadership Program will provide instructional programming on government leadership, policy, and civic engagement aligned with our International Baccalaureate (IB) program," said Tamara Derenak Kaufax, the Lee District representative on the school board. "It’s exciting to know that students in this new program will have unique opportunities for internships and college credits in fields related to civic leadership and public policy."

Support from the school board for the program came after the board asked school district staff to research a Lewis Leadership Academy in December 2020. The program will be a collaboration between students and staff, school district leaders, community groups and higher education institutions and centers.

A Lewis Legacy Project was started in fall 2021, offering a multi-year learning experience for all Lewis High School students. The project includes reading "March" Books 1-3, and "Run" Book 1 in English class, service learning, and inquiry-based lessons exploring connections to the life and legacy of John R. Lewis. The school had been renamed John R. Lewis High School from Robert E. Lee High School in July 2020.

The next steps in developing the John R. Lewis Leadership Program will include community engagement, curriculum development, a budget for developing special programming, and exploring how the program’s development could support other Fairfax County public schools.