Hopkins assists in funding public school renovations

As the academic year begins again in Baltimore’s Charles Village, more than 750 elementary and middle school students are returning to newly renovated schools — a result of efforts by the University.

Margaret Brent and Barclay Elementary/Middle Schools now include revamped cafeterias, bathrooms and entryways in the buildings, which now have more secure entrances and windows. Barclay, specifically, has also improved handicapped access.

Furthermore, new doors and security systems have improved the functionality and safety of the former Barclay Recreation Center, which now serves as a Community Center run by the Greater Homewood Community Corporation (GHCC).

Hopkins played a crucial role in the renovations, contributing $800,000 to the $1.6 million project.

“The renovations have helped to infuse a burst of fresh energy into the school. They have come at a great time. The updates, alongside the appointment of a new principal and the welcoming of several new teachers, have ushered in the new school year with a strong sense of anticipation and excitement,” Sharicca Boldon, GHCC Community School Site Coordinator at Margaret Brent, wrote in an email to The News-Letter. “Students, parents, staff and visitors have all been admiring the updates. The increased natural light has been particularly appreciated.”

The upgrades, approved in April and completed over the summer, were completed by GHCC and Hopkins with other partners including Greater Schools Charles Village, the Goldseker Foundation, Goucher College, MICA and the communities of Charles Village, Harwood and Remington.

“The renovations have uplifted everyone’s spirits, have given a boost to the pride we feel in our school and have given us a concrete vision of what a 21st Century school can look and feel like. Students, parents, community members, and staff have all been excited about the changes. Students who recently graduated and have come back to visit have said they are sorry they are gone now that the first floor looks so great. The improvements to our cafeteria are particularly popular,” Kelly Oglesbee, GHCC Community School Coordinator at Barclay, wrote in an email to The News-Letter.

Hopkins is also planning to contribute academic support to both schools. The SABES STEM learning grant, for instance, includes additional science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) support, such as an afterschool STEM club and a summer STEM camp.

The endeavor is part of Hopkins’s Homewood Community Partners Initiative (HCPI), launched last December. In the long term, the project aims to attract 3,000 new resident families over the next 10 years.

According to the HCPI website, “The Homewood Community Partners Initiative grew out of a greater understanding that the health and well-being of Johns Hopkins University’s Homewood campus is inextricably tied to the physical, social, and economic well being of its surrounding neighborhoods.”

Hopkins officials hope to use the $10 million in committed funds to develop 10 nearby Baltimore neighborhoods, namely Abell, Barclay, Charles North, Charles Village, Greenmount West, Harwood, Oakenshawe, Old Goucher, Remington and Wyman Park. In an effort to strengthen neighborhoods, developments focus on five categories: quality of life, blight elimination, education, commercial and retail development and local hiring and purchasing.

“There could always be more done to promote small business shopping. It’s tough because a lot of the surrounding areas are intimidating to a lot of students, but if Hopkins advertised shopping locally more and had more transportation to areas with a lot of small businesses, that would also be an awesome and easy contribution to the city,” sophomore Elliot Troutner said.

While HCPI works to improve public safety, housing and education on a variety of fronts, the University’s involvement in the Margaret Brent and Barclay renovations is their largest HCPI expenditure to date.

“This absolutely would not have happened without Hopkins stepping up. Institutions like Hopkins have a responsibility to use its resources to improve the city it sits in, and the Homewood Community Partners Initiative is a great vehicle to do that,” Karen DeCamp, GHCC Director of Neighborhood Programs, wrote in an email to The News-Letter.

In addition to HCPI, Hopkins has put in place a variety of programs to support the local community. As both a Baltimore native and member of the Baltimore Scholars program, Troutner was appreciative of Hopkins’s work in the larger community.

“They take extensive efforts to see inner city high school students making efforts to get to Hopkins. They have a lot of programs in place to have students visit, and they do a lot to get folks here, like the Baltimore scholars program. This is possibly one of their best ways of helping,” Troutner said.

The Baltimore Scholars program gives students who attended a Baltimore City public school the opportunity to have their tuition fully paid for, if granted admission to Hopkins.

“Hopkins recognizes a lot of struggles in Baltimore and they definitely do a lot. So frankly, as far as education goes, while a name like Hopkins could always do more, I really love how much effort they put into the community. They have smart programs in place and they do great work overall,” Troutner said.