GEORGETOWN, Del. - The Bryan Allen Stevenson School of Excellence says it is excited to begin the process of enrolling 6th, 7th, and 8th graders from the 2024-2025 school year.
The school says its a free public charter school that has a focus on service learning, expected to open next fall.
“After the success of our Youth Leadership Lab, I’m very excited to welcome our students in the 2024 school year,” said BASSE’s Founding School Leader, Chantalle Ashford. “The youth leaders from our summer program built a strong foundation for our school community. We will continue to build on their work throughout the year and next school year.”
Some students have already made use of the school officials say. The BASSE Youth Leadership Lab had students plan out three project related to the school's design: personalized learning, service learning, and scheduling. The Lab was a partnership with the nonprofit UP for Learning. They say there will be three more events hosted by the nonprofit.
"UP for Learning is grateful to be a partner with BASSE, especially with the alignment between the school, Bryan Stevenson’s life work, and UP’s own principles," said Lindsey Halman, executive director of UP. "At the core of UP's beliefs is that every young person has a right to experience authentic and engaging learning within a caring community, seeding a life of learning and even joy. Building on the incredible work of the youth who attended the Youth Leadership Lab, UP will support the Student Voice Advisory in their continued work to design an innovative and engaging learning environment for all BASSE students!"
The school says its building a pathway for leadership that encourages students to stay engaged and dedicated to Sussex County.
The real Bryan Allen Stevenson was a widely acclaimed social justice activst, lawyer, and the founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, Ala, born in Milton, Del. He was portrayed by Michael B. Jordan in the 2019 film "Just Mercy."
The school says 226 parents have been engaged in a pre-enrollment survey, with 91% indicate they plan to send their students there next year.
The school was planned to open this year, but because it failed to meet the 80% minimum enrollment required, its opening was delayed. It was 75 students short of its 200-student goal.