Anacostia High Educator Earns Master’s Degree While Encouraging Kids to Stay in School

A D.C. educator simply acquired his Grasp of Science in Training he earned whereas encouraging younger folks to remain at school.

The diploma is an emblem of the place Lavon Surratt goes but in addition the place he’s been.

For 2 years, he’s been grinding seven days per week working as an academic aide at Anacostia Excessive College whereas additionally taking lessons at Western Governors College. 

“Essentially the most fulfilling facet of working within the college system is simply having the ability to impression others,” he mentioned.

As a child, Surratt solely a missed a single day of college in 13 years.

“My mother and father didn’t develop up with a lot, and since that they had us so younger, you understand, we didn’t develop up with a lot,” he mentioned. “So, training has simply all the time been an enormous a part of my household, and it’s all the time been one thing we careworn.”

He watched his mom end school and later develop into a college principal.

When he began working at Anacostia Excessive two years in the past, he observed one thing troubling.

“We have now lots of college students who would present up late or lots of college students who wouldn’t come,” he mentioned. “It made me need to work out, Alright, nicely what can we do to fight this problem?”

His capstone mission for his grasp’s diploma targeted on bettering attendance via issues like fixed communication with households and ensuring children have mentors.

“Simply so, you understand, college students really feel that there’s an grownup within the constructing that misses them once they’re not right here,” Surratt mentioned.

This week, the exhausting work paid off as he bought his diploma together with his household by his aspect.

“I am very happy with you,” mentioned his father, Curtis Surratt. “I like the best way you carry your self as a younger man. I like the best way you deal with your loved ones.”

“It was a really exhausting journey,” Lavon Surratt mentioned. “It was lots of sacrifice. I simply needed to make use of this second to simply actually encourage college students.”

Surratt mentioned his aim is to develop into a Related Faculties supervisor, which supplies sources for the entire household to set children up for fulfillment.