On the first day of school for Identity Preparatory Academy in North Omaha, the inaugural fourth and fifth grade classes stood up and yelled, at the request of Mayor John Ewing Jr., “My dreams are possible.”
“Anything that you can imagine, anything that you can conceive and believe, you can achieve it,” Ewing told the group of nearly 30 girls. “Never let anyone take that joy away from you. Never let anyone take that curiosity away from you. Never let anyone take that drive away from you. Keep pushing towards your goals always.”
The all-girls school began its first year on Wednesday, starting with fourth and fifth grade. Eventually, it will serve seventh and eighth graders, as well. DérNecia Phillips, founder and chief executive of the school, said the first day of school was a historic moment.
“Identity Preparatory Academy is the first state-approved — we had to work hard for that, work hard for that approval — the first Black-founded state-approved school in the history of Nebraska,” Phillips said.
The State Board of Education approved the school just in time for the school year after delaying the vote due to some board member’s concerns with what educational framework would be used. After visiting the school and speaking with Phillips, the board members unanimously passed approval on Aug. 11.
About 250 people showed up on the Zoom call for the vote, with many more in person.
“People rallied together, and that is community,” Phillips said. “We know when we need each other, we come on, and I felt that so strongly, we all did. Thank you for fighting for our girls.”
Identity Prep was formed with community input, Phillips said. A survey went out to the North Omaha community asking about what was working in education and what people were still hoping to see.
“It started from there, and then we had the dreams of our daughters, Dream Labs, and we dreamed with caregivers and girls about what an education that would be nourishing to them would feel like and look like and be,” Phillips said. “So these girls helped build this school. These families helped build this school.”
After the Dream Labs, the school tested out the framework with Saturday school and summer academy.
“We told the girls they were researchers because they’re telling us, ‘No, I don’t think we should do that,’ or, ‘Oh, we should do more of this. Oh, can we garden?’” Phillips shared. “All of those things are being put together in what you see before you today, which is Identity Preparatory Academy.”
Ewing presented Phillips and Identity Prep with a proclamation to celebrate the opening day of the school. The proclamation recognized the school’s historical moment and its belief that girls “should not have to minimize who they are in order to succeed, but instead deserve educational spaces where their experiences are valued, their brilliance is recognized, their curiosity is encouraged and their voices are welcomed.”
“I want you all to know that I am excited for you,” Ewing said. “I am extremely proud of you. You are going to do amazing things here at this school, and then you are going to do amazing things here in the city of Omaha.”
To officially mark the first day of school, the teachers welcomed the fourth and fifth grade classes with roll call. Olivia Mathews, the fourth grade teacher, said each name for her class as the crowd cheered and waved pom poms for each girl.
“This is the most overwhelmingly positive event that I’ve ever been a part of in my entire life, and I’m just really grateful to be able to share this moment with you all here today,” Mathews said. “As a Black girl, this is one huge step for us, and I’m just happy to be here.”