Civil Rights Icon U.S. Rep. John Lewis visited Latin College Preparatory Charter School on Monday, Dec. 18, 2017. Lewis met with students and staff for more than an hour, toured the building and visited several classrooms.
Rep. Lewis started the morning by meeting with members of school’s Student Government Association and other student leaders. After receiving a very warm welcome by the students, Rep. Lewis spoke with them about the importance of leadership and activism. He also told stories of his own sacrifices and heroism.
“For many of our students, the most compelling part of Rep. Lewis’ visit was the opportunity to speak with a living legend. John Lewis is someone who our students learn about in social studies and history textbooks, and he is also someone who we celebrate during our Black History Month festivities.” said the school’s Executive Director and Superintendent, Mr. Davion R. Lewis. “This was a once in a lifetime opportunity for our students.”
During the question and answer portion of the day’s visit, one student asked Rep. Lewis whether or not he was ever afraid during his years fighting for civil rights.
“I numbed myself to fear, because I knew what I was fighting for was worth it,” said Lewis.
He then challenged the students to be brave, to never give up, to always fight for what is right, and to get a great education.
At the conclusion of the talk, several students joined Mr. Lewis and Rep. John Lewis in a tour of the building and various classrooms. Mr. Lewis shared his own admiration for Rep. Lewis and his appreciation for the Congressman’s time and kind words about his students and school.
“To hear Rep. Lewis say that he was impressed by our scholars and staff was 
immensely rewarding,” said Mr. Lewis. “Our scholars, staff, and parents all work very hard to build and maintain our school community. This is a rebirth for our school, and to hear John Lewis say ‘I wish I was able to have attended a school like this when I was growing up,’ tells me that we are moving in the right direction.”
Latin College Preparatory Charter School is a tuition-free public charter school chartered by Fulton County Schools. It was founded in 2015 and currently serves students in grades 6-8. The school is located in the East Point community. Its mission is to prepare each of its scholar for success in high school, college, and the world beyond.
