For the last eleven years, Suzannah Schantz has worked as an educator in Washington, D.C.'s public school system. It was the variety of perspectives and backgrounds she encountered as a student at St. Andrew's, she says, that inspired her to become a teacher and administrator dedicated to eliminating inequities in public schools. Here's her St. Andrew's story:

In 2001 my parents made a choice that would change the entire trajectory of my life (I just didn't know it at the time). I was a thirteen-year-old freshman at Greenwich High School in Greenwich, Connecticut, and my parents could see what I couldn't: I was headed down a path that would not elicit my full potential. They pulled what they referred to as the "Nuclear Option," which was to take me out of public school and send me to boarding school near my  grandmother in Rhode Island.

At the time my "bad behavior" and "acting out" were my ways of seeking change and diversity. I wanted to meet people who didn't look like me, who weren't from where I was, who spoke different languages, had different beliefs and could show me other parts of the world through their stories. To my pleasant surprise, when I arrived at St. Andrews in October 2001 I was surrounded by just that. 

My time at St. Andrews taught me more about myself and the infinite paths I could choose than I could have imagined - from the responsibility and independence of living in a dorm, to accountability for my actions (the good old 'pink slip' and Saturday detention). But most importantly, the community at St. Andrews was unlike any other. I became friends with people from around the world, with very different experiences and knowledge than my own. These people helped me understand the value of diversity, friendship and true compassion. 

In addition to the diverse friends I made at St. Andrews, the relationships I formed with adults were unlike any I had experienced. To be surrounded by adults who showed they cared about me, my future and my potential was something I had never genuinely felt before (besides from my parents... and parents are supposed to do that). St. Andrews was the first time I felt like I could be somebody, I was smart, I could do something to change or add to this crazy world. In 2005, I graduated St. Andrew's with "the most improved female report card" and an acceptance to attend Syracuse University. Never in a million years would I have anticipated this growth in myself and motivation for the future.

At Syracuse I began to reflect on my path and where to go next. I realized that the love and support I received at St. Andrews from my peers and teachers was what got me where I was. Freshman year I decided to enroll in Syracuse University's School of Education and become an educator who would strive to make the difference in other's lives that St. Andrews had made in mine. I understood the importance of an equitable education and the contribution that diversity can have on children and learners.

In 2009 I graduated from Syracuse University and applied for teaching jobs in every major city. I was looking for any city that needed an energetic educator who was ready to change the world. Washington, D.C., was the first to offer me a job, so I made the move down to the nation's capital. I settled in Washington, D.C., and quickly realized that the history of systemic racism and injustice in our public school system is long and complicated. I taught 1st and 2nd grade at Tubman Elementary School in Washington, D.C. for seven years and then transitioned into a Literacy Instructional Coaching role that I have held for the last four years. I earned a master's degree in curriculum and instruction at Trinity University and support writing curriculum in the district. 

I hope that in this role I can continue to guide, support and increase teacher sustainability in urban schools and help break down the systemic inequities that are still running our public schools today. Everyone is entitled to a free and equitable education. Only some will be as lucky as I was to experience an exceptional education like the one I had St. Andrew's. I continue to be grateful for my time there and the people who have contributed to who I am today. I will continue to help kids feel the love and acceptance that I felt at St. Andrew's and the potential to be whatever they dream.