Former NBA All-Star Adrian Dantley, inducted into the basketball hall of fame in 2008, now helps kids cross the street at Eastern Middle School and New Hampshire Estates Elementary School in Silver Spring, MD. A DC native, Dantley has found his way back to his roots.
"Stevie killed the teacher, Stevie killed the teacher!" And so goes one of math teacher Ty Allen's most legendary stories. But don't let his colorful personality and humorous anecdotes give you the wrong impression about his classroom: his class is no joke. Allen has found the perfect combination of fun, entertainment, discipline and math and combined it into one unique teaching style.
Among Blair’s diverse crowd walks a group of giggling Hispanic girls conversing rapidly in Spanish about plans for the weekend. Within the voices, a south Asian accent comes across - but only a hint, extremely easy to dismiss. It takes a closer look to see the one girl who is not like the rest: Jawairia Iqbal.
Dressed in traditional African attire, students strut across the stage, pausing every few seconds in sync with the music. The entire cast makes their way through the audience and back onstage where they sing their final song. The diverse cast of students links hands and the audience rises and joins in singing "Lift Every Voice and Sing."
Course selection for the 2013-2014 school year is fully underway - take a look at two of Blair's most interesting and unsual classes - World Drumming and Horticulture!