I have grown up in New Rochelle my whole life. I attended Davis Elementary School, Albert Leonard Middle School, and New Rochelle High School. Additionally, since the age of 5, I played soccer in New Rochelle in various forms from Rec, to Travel, to High School Varsity. As I reflect on my experience in a city as heterogeneous as New Rochelle, I am astounded that playing soccer exposed me to the true greatness of our diverse community as opposed to my schooling. From elementary school through high school, the majority of my teachers were white and looked like me even though the racial makeup of our district is predominantly students of color, particularly Hispanic and Latinx students. 

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Furthermore, due to the division of schools within New Rochelle, Davis and Albert Leonard were already not an accurate representation of our student body, with a higher proportion of white students attending these schools. By the time I entered 8th grade, I was placed in the accelerated Math and Science tracks. Again, I saw the de facto segregation in our district, not just through neighborhoods, but through tracking as well.  

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In High School, this separation became even greater through the introduction of AP classes which are disproportionately white. I found myself in a bubble that bred an attitude amongst my peers and myself that was more harmful than anything else. This separation by “ability” caused a clear division between students and allowed for a kind of superiority and privilege to grow within those taking such classes. 

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Through playing soccer in New Rochelle, I was lucky to meet people from all over our town coming from different racial identities, socioeconomic backgrounds, and religious beliefs. I built some of my greatest friendships through sports with people whose paths I may have never crossed otherwise. A student in a community as diverse and special as New Rochelle should not have to rely on extracurricular activities and sports to integrate our town. If our school district were reimagined to unite the entire student body from the beginning of our elementary experience, we can live up to our promise of being a diverse and accepting environment.

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Furthermore, the redesigning of our curriculum in New Rochelle and the revision of the tracking method can bring about substantial change to our classrooms so they are more representative of our racial and socioeconomic makeup. More resources need to be allocated to lifting up and assisting students rather than separating and punishing them. New Rochelle can become the prime example of a tremendous school district that provides opportunity and success for ALL of its students but we need to make changes now. 

 

Ethan Manley 

NRHS Alum, Class of 2017