LHA's Mission and History
The mission of Langston Hughes Academy Charter School is to provide all scholars with the knowledge, skills and character traits necessary to succeed in high school, college and the world beyond.
Our mantra: Dream it. Do it. Be it.
The poet Langston Hughes wrote many poems about dreams. Some of his more famous poems, like "Dream Deferred" and "Dreamkeeper" have inspired Americans from every walk of life to persevere through the strife of segregation, racism and low expectations in order to reach their dreams. At Langston Hughes Academy, our scholars set big academic goals (Dream it), work hard to learn as much as they possibly can (Do it) in order to achieve their goals and become that person they've always dreamt of becoming (Be it). Our mantra is eternal and cyclical. As our scholars achieve their goals, they must create new ones and work hard to reach them.
Our History
Langston Hughes Academy Charter School was founded in August 2007 by a dedicated team of teachers, board members and community supporters. The flooding from Hurricane Katrina in August 2005 destroyed the original Langston Hughes Elementary School facility located next to the Fairgrounds. As a result, Langston Hughes Academy's first three weeks of school were held on the campus of Tulane University. The school moved to the third floor of the Thurgood Marshall School site at 4621 Canal Street in September 2007. While our new building was in construction phase on the original LHES site, we operated on a modular campus next door for the 2008-9 school year. We opened the doors to the 2009-10 school year on August 17, 2009 in our new permanent $30 million facility, the first new public school built in New Orleans since the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. In 2010, LHA entered into a management agreement with FirstLine Schools.
Langston Hughes taught us how important it is to achieve greatness despite one's circumstance, Langston Hughes Academy is committed to ensuring that all scholars receive an outstanding education so they may gain adminssion to competitive high schools in New Orleans and pursue their dreams of success in college and the world beyond.
Langston Hughes Academy would like to thank Kaboom! and a host of volunteers and support staff who helped build an entire playground in one day!
- I, too, sing America.
- I am the darker brother.
- They send me to eat in the kitchen
- When company comes,
- But I laugh,
- And eat well,
- And grow strong.
- Tomorrow,
- I'll be at the table
- When company comes.
- Nobody'll dare
- Say to me,
- 'Eat in the kitchen,'
- Then.
- Besides,
- They'll see how beautiful I am
- And be ashamed-
- I, too, am America.
