Roanoke City Public Schools officially opened the Community Empowerment Center at Booker T. Washington Friday.
The center is designed to be a point of entry for families, including those with English learners, who make up 20% of the student population.
"At its core, this center is about empowering families through education and access," said Verletta White, the superintendent of Roanoke City Schools. "This center is a one stop hub of support, from helping families getting started with school enrollment, to offering workshops that strengthen connections and engagement with their students' education. It's built with the community and for the community, and by the community."
The center already has worked with more than 300 families since opening in July. Two families who speak English as a second language spoke at the grand opening about how they've already benefited from the center's services.
White says those families illustrate why the community empowerment center is there.
"Their stories are our why," White said. "Say it with me: Their stories ... are our why. This is why we do this work. They remind us why we do this work, and why this center matters."
The Community Empowerment Center at Booker T. Washington will be home to a welcome center for incoming families; a resource room with a clothing closet, food pantry and school supplies; a health center offering immunizations and physicals; parenting workshops; adult education programs; and community navigation to connect families with additional services.
