The Vision

It is one thing to identify a need. It is quite another to find a way to meet that need. In 1997, Friendship Public Charter School set out to provide students in the District of Columbia with the highest quality educational experience. In the years since, Friendship has delivered on its promise with commitment, creativity and caring.

Now Tech Prep will build on Friendship’s success while focusing on critical areas of education and employment in the DC metropolitan region. This region has witnessed fundamental changes in its economy – largely fueled by the technology sector where fast growing companies have created jobs and opportunities unprecedented in our nation’s history. While growth has brought progress, its impact has not been felt equally among all segments of the population. According to a report by the Brookings Institution, “The Washington region is clearly divided by race, income, jobs and opportunity. Years of ineffective schools and government programs without clear objectives and measurable outcomes have left children and families in the District with few alternatives to lifelong poverty.”

Tech Prep will go a long way toward remedying that problem. Everyone will benefit from the creation of Tech Prep – students, employers, and area residents alike. Students will enter Tech Prep primarily from Ward 8, which houses the city’s poorest neighborhoods. These low-income students will explore new disciplines, like nanotechnology and geospatial technology. They will be fully prepared to expand on their learning in college.