Sojourner Truth Academy
Encyclopedia
Sojourner Truth Academyhttp://www.nolatruth.org (STA) is an open-enrollment charter high school in New Orleans, Louisiana
that opened in August 2008. It is run under the auspices of the Recovery School District
. This NOLA school should not be confused with the public charter k-6 elementary school located in Minneapolis, MN. Please see www.sojournertruthacademy.org to learn more about this Minneapolis, MN school.
Sojourner Truth Academy is affiliated with New Schools for New Orleans and has an operating philosophy geared toward college preparation for its students. Enrollment in STA is free, and students are not required to meet any academic admissions benchmarks beyond those required by Louisiana law.
STA opened its doors to one hundred ninth graders for the 2008-2009 school year, and currently has over 200 ninth and tenth-grade students. The school will host a graduating Senior class in 2012. By the time STA reaches maximum enrollment at the start of the 2011-2012 academic year, the school will serve an estimated four hundred New Orleans students in grades nine through twelve.
The school requires mandatory parent meetings and offers free breakfast to its students.
STA is led by co-founder and principal Channa Mae Cook. Cook holds a B.A. in English with a minor in African American Studies from Stanford University
, where she also earned an M.A. in Education with a secondary teaching credential. She began her teaching career at the Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies
, a public school serving grades six through twelve. Cook completed an M.S. in Educational Leadership and Administration at Pepperdine University
. In her final year with the Los Angeles public schools, Cook worked as the Literacy Coach at Crenshaw High School
, helping teachers implement effective practices to improve student literacy.
STA has received financial and developmental support from New Schools for New Orleans http://newschoolsforneworleans.org/, the Walton Family Foundation http://www.waltonfamilyfoundation.org/ and the NewSchools Venture Fund http://www.newschools.org/. The school has also received support from members of the New Orleans Saints
football team, led by Cook's Stanford classmate Leigh Torrence
, who raised $50,000 from his Saints teammates that was matched by an equal amount from the National Football League
and used to fund the school's football team.
Sojourner Truth Academy was featured on NPR
's All Things Considered
in August 2008.
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
that opened in August 2008. It is run under the auspices of the Recovery School District
Recovery School District
The is a special statewide school district administered by the Louisiana Department of Education. Created by legislation passed in 2003, the RSD is designed to take underperforming schools and transform them into successful places for children to learn...
. This NOLA school should not be confused with the public charter k-6 elementary school located in Minneapolis, MN. Please see www.sojournertruthacademy.org to learn more about this Minneapolis, MN school.
Sojourner Truth Academy is affiliated with New Schools for New Orleans and has an operating philosophy geared toward college preparation for its students. Enrollment in STA is free, and students are not required to meet any academic admissions benchmarks beyond those required by Louisiana law.
STA opened its doors to one hundred ninth graders for the 2008-2009 school year, and currently has over 200 ninth and tenth-grade students. The school will host a graduating Senior class in 2012. By the time STA reaches maximum enrollment at the start of the 2011-2012 academic year, the school will serve an estimated four hundred New Orleans students in grades nine through twelve.
The school requires mandatory parent meetings and offers free breakfast to its students.
STA is led by co-founder and principal Channa Mae Cook. Cook holds a B.A. in English with a minor in African American Studies from Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
, where she also earned an M.A. in Education with a secondary teaching credential. She began her teaching career at the Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies
Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies
The Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies is a university preparatory secondary school located in Los Angeles, California, United States.LACES, which serves grades 6 through 12, is a part of the Los Angeles Unified School District....
, a public school serving grades six through twelve. Cook completed an M.S. in Educational Leadership and Administration at Pepperdine University
Pepperdine University
Pepperdine University is an independent, private, medium-sized university affiliated with the Churches of Christ. The university's campus overlooking the Pacific Ocean in unincorporated Los Angeles County, California, United States, near Malibu, is the location for Seaver College, the School of...
. In her final year with the Los Angeles public schools, Cook worked as the Literacy Coach at Crenshaw High School
Crenshaw High School
Crenshaw High School is a secondary school located in South Los Angeles, California.The school first opened in 1968 and currently enrolls an average of 2,600 students. Its address is 5010 11th Avenue, near the corner of 50th Street. The school colors are blue and gold, and its mascot is the...
, helping teachers implement effective practices to improve student literacy.
STA has received financial and developmental support from New Schools for New Orleans http://newschoolsforneworleans.org/, the Walton Family Foundation http://www.waltonfamilyfoundation.org/ and the NewSchools Venture Fund http://www.newschools.org/. The school has also received support from members of the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
football team, led by Cook's Stanford classmate Leigh Torrence
Leigh Torrence
Leigh Torrence is an American football cornerback for the New Orleans Saints. He was signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 2005...
, who raised $50,000 from his Saints teammates that was matched by an equal amount from the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
and used to fund the school's football team.
Sojourner Truth Academy was featured on NPR
NPR
NPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
's All Things Considered
All Things Considered
All Things Considered is the flagship news program on the American network National Public Radio. It was the first news program on NPR, and is broadcast live worldwide through several outlets...
in August 2008.