Why open a school? To close a prison | Nadia Lopez

翻译人员: Haoliang Chen 校对人员: Lipeng Chen

When I opened Mott Hall Bridges Academy in 2010,

在2010年我开办了莫特馆桥学院，

my goal was simple:

我的目标很简单：

open a school to close a prison.

创办一所学校， 以关闭一所监狱。

Now to some, this was an audacious goal,

一些人可能会认为， 这是个大胆的目标，

because our school is located in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn --

原因在于我们的学校位于 布鲁克林的布朗斯维尔地区——

one of the most underserved and violent neighborhoods

在纽约市所有城市中

暴力频发缺少治理最严重的城区之一。

in all of New York City.

Like many urban schools with high poverty rates,

和许多高贫困率的城区学校一样，

we face numerous challenges,

我们面临着众多挑战，

like finding teachers who can empathize

比如寻找那些

能对弱势群体的复杂情况 感同身受的老师，

with the complexities of a disadvantaged community,

lack of funding for technology,

缺乏技术资金支持，

low parental involvement

还缺少家长参与度，

and neighborhood gangs that recruit children as early as fourth grade.

甚至周边的帮派不时会 招募年仅四年级的孩子。

So here I was,

所以我在这里

the founding principal of a middle school that was a district public school,

创办了一所地区公立中学，

and I only had 45 kids to start.

创立之初只有45个孩子。

Thirty percent of them had special needs.

其中三成有特殊需求。

Eighty-six percent of them were below grade level

86%的孩子在英语和数学方面

in English and in math.

落后平均水平。

And 100 percent were living below the poverty level.

并且他们的生活水平 全都处于贫困线之下。

If our children are not in our classrooms,

如果我们的孩子 不在我们的课堂，

how will they learn?

他们如何学习？

And if they're not learning,

如果他们不学习，

where would they end up?

他们将何去何从？

It was evident when I would ask my 13-year-old,

我问一个13岁的孩子，

“年轻人，你认为五年后你会怎么样？”

"Young man,

where do you see yourself in five years?"

答案似乎显而易见。

And his response:

而他的回答是：

"I don't know if I'm gonna live that long."

”我不知道我能否活那么长时间。“

Or to have a young woman say to me

还有一位年轻女生对我说，

that she had a lifelong goal of working in a fast-food restaurant.

她毕生的目标只是在快餐店工作。

To me, this was unacceptable.

对我而言，这实在难以接受。

It was also evident that they had no idea

显然他们尚未意识到，

that there was a landscape of opportunity

在他们生活的地区之外，

that existed beyond their neighborhood.

还有着大片广阔的机遇。

We call our students "scholars," because they're lifelong learners.

我们把我们的学生称为”学者“， 因为他们是终身学习者。

And the skills that they learn today

他们现在所学的技能

will prepare them for college and career readiness.

将为他们今后的大学 和事业打下坚实的基础。

I chose the royal colors of purple and black,

我选择象征皇室的紫色和黑色，

because I want them to be reminded that they are descendants of greatness,

因为我希望他们明白 自己是伟大的后代。

and that through education,

通过教育，

they are future engineers,

他们将成为未来的工程师，

scientists,

科学家，

entrepreneurs

企业家

and even leaders who can and will take over this world.

甚至成为掌管这世界的领导者。

To date,

到目前为止，

we have had three graduating classes,

我们已有三届毕业班，

at a 98 --

有98的——

(Applause)

（掌声）

At a 98-percent graduation rate.

有98%的毕业率。

This is nearly 200 children,

这意味着将近200个孩子，

who are now going to some of the most competitive high schools

将有幸进入纽约市竞争最激烈的高中。

in New York City.

(Applause)

（掌声）

It was a cold day in January

那是一月寒冷的一天，

when my scholar, Vidal Chastanet, met Brandon Stanton,

我的学生维达·沙塔 遇到了布兰登·斯坦顿，

the founder of the popular blog "Humans of New York."

这位热门博客”纽约众生“创始人。

Brandon shared the story of a young man from Brownsville

布兰登分享了一个来自 布朗斯维尔的年轻人的故事，

who had witnessed violence firsthand,

他亲眼目睹了一场暴力事件，

by witnessing a man being thrown off of a roof.

看到一个人从屋顶被扔下。

Yet he can still be influenced by a principal

尽管如此他依然受到一位校长的感化，

who had opened up a school that believes in all children.

一位相信所有的孩子而开办学校的校长。

Vidal embodies the story of so many of our underprivileged children

维达尔代表了我们众多贫穷孩子的故事，

who are struggling to survive,

他们努力顽强地生存着，

which is why we must make education a priority.

这也是我们必须把教育 摆在首位的原因。

Brandon's post created a global sensation

布兰登的博客吸引力全世界的目光，

that touched the lives of millions.

触碰到数百万生命的内心。

This resulted in 1.4 million dollars being raised

同时带来了140万美元的捐款，

for our scholars to attend field trips to colleges and universities,

用于资助我们的优秀学生 参加各大学的实地考察旅行，

Summer STEAM programs,

夏季STEAM程序，

as well as college scholarships.

以及提供大学奖学金。

You need to understand

你应该明白，

that when 200 young people from Brownsville visited Harvard,

当200个来自布朗斯维尔的 年轻人参观了哈佛大学，

they now understood

他们会了解，

that a college of their choice was a real possibility.

他们选择大学才是真正的机遇。

And the impossibilities that had been imposed upon them

曾经来自一个落后社区

by a disadvantaged community

给他们带来的不便，

were replaced by hope and purpose.

将被希望与决心所替代。

The revolution in education is happening in our schools,

教育的改革正在我们学校进行，

with adults who provide love,

有成年人为他们提供爱，

structure,

精心组织的体系，

support

呵护支持，

and knowledge.

还有知识。

These are the things that inspire children.

这些都将对我们的孩子有所启发。

But it is not an easy task.

但这并不能简单的说到做到。

And there are high demands

在我们并不完美的教育体系中，

within an education system that is not perfect.

有着很高的需求。

But I have a dynamic group of educators

不过我有一群充满活力的教育家，

who collaborate as a team to determine what is the best curriculum.

他们彼此合作成立团队 来决定课程的最佳安排。

They take time beyond their school day,

他们在非工作日的时间仍然忙碌，

and come in on weekends

周末也到学校工作，

and even use their own money to often provide resources

甚至愿意自费提供

when we do not have it.

我们缺少的资源。

And as the principal,

作为一名校长，

I have to inspect what I expect.

我需要检查我所期待的东西。

So I show up in classes

所以我出现在教室

and I conduct observations to give feedback,

通过观察来提供反馈，

because I want my teachers to be just as successful

因为我希望老师们可以和

莫特馆桥学院的名号一样成功。

as the name Mott Hall Bridges Academy.

And I give them access to me every single day,

他们每天都可以联系到我，

which is why they all have my personal cell number,

因为他们都有我的手机号，

including my scholars and those who graduated --

包括我的学生和已经毕业的学生，

which is probably why I get phone calls and text messages

这也许就是我在凌晨3点钟

at three o'clock in the morning.

还会收到电话和短信的原因吧。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

But we are all connected to succeed,

不过我们都与成功息息相关，

and good leaders do this.

优秀的领导者引领成功。

Tomorrow's future is sitting in our classrooms.

明日的未来正坐在我们的教室中。

And they are our responsibility.

他们是我们担负的责任。

That means everyone in here,

那意味着这里的每个人，

and those who are watching the screen.

还有屏幕后正在观看的人们，

We must believe in their brilliance,

我们要相信这些孩子的才华，

and remind them by teaching them

教导他们教育才是真正的力量。

that there indeed is power in education.

Thank you.

谢谢。

(Applause)

（掌声）