The Eastside Prep community promotes an ethic of citizenship. We believe that respect for self, for learning, and for others is essential to prepare students for a life of change, challenge, and active citizenship.

We work with students throughout our program to develop intellectual character, which is more than an aggregate of academic knowledge and skills—it is a commitment to take active charge of one’s learning and to use it for the purpose of making the world a better place. Being a citizen of a democracy means learning to carry on positive discourse with people who hold diverse views. This discourse begins in the classroom where students are encouraged to express their views, listen to others, and take risks. Students learn to trust and respect multiple viewpoints and one another. All members of the community are expected to be conscientious about creating an environment that nurtures open discussion and encourages action based on deliberation.

Recent learning experiences at Eastside Prep have included: a student-designed and run fund-raiser for Hurricane Katrina Relief, establishing a “sister community” relation with a Masai tribe to provide support for agri-development, participating in annual United Way Day of Caring events, conducting research in urban sustainability, and volunteering to assist with the construction of a water reclamation plant in rural Mexico.