The bell rings and the halls flood with faces derived from nearly 90 different countries however, AHS was not this way back in 1954 when it first opened its doors.

“Annandale has always been a diverse school, but not to the extent that it is today,” said IB Topics teacher Mary Ann Richardson, who has been teaching at AHS for 11 years. “The transition has broadened to be a greater number of diverse cultures. Once again, we’ve always been diverse, there is just a greater number of ethnic minorities.”

This school started out predominantly middle class and caucasian. It was not till the 1980s and 90s, when a large number of immigrants migrated in, expanding the diversity and the economic backgrounds.

“Diversity is not just culturally,” said Richardson. “Every school is different. In AHS it is ethnicity but income as well: economic is an impediment, whereas culture is enriching. I dealt with sexual diversity as I grew up. I saw myself as part of the struggle for trying to fit in to an all -male dominated society.“

According to embracediverseschools.com, when AHS began the transition towards greater diversity there was racial tension. Fights were constantly breaking out in response to racist jokes, lines and stereotypes, requiring the school to take action. Students were then divided into small discussion groups, where they learned about other lifestyles and points of view. At the request of parents, the administration took this step to ensure that students learned to respect other cultures and not resort to violence. The majority of middle-class families decided to stay at AHS, instead of moving to another predominantly Caucasian school. The peer mediation program strengthened due to the students’ understanding of their fellow classmates’ backgrounds. The International Baccalaureate (IB) program was introduced shortly after, to offer a curriculum that is less biased than U.S.-based programs.

“I think what is really unique about Annandale’s diversity is how well everyone gets along,” said World History 1 and Psychology teacher Katie Gould.  “I’ve heard names and insults of where people are from before, but I have never had this problem here. I chose to teach at AHS for the diversity. It is enrichment for the students and the teachers.”

“I went to high school in France for my last two grades,” said French teacher Joelle Rudney. “It was a small school in a small town and there was no diversity. It was a world away; the complete opposite of AHS, and it was a bit sleepy. Students can develop their personalities [with diversity]. I am impressed by Just World, with the different cultures it represents, as well as the new clubs such as STAND.”

Approximately 20-30 years ago, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST) became a magnet school, changing the boundaries of AHS, and subsequentially changing its ethnic and economic diversity.

“I think that in terms of the educational environment, [diversity] has been a positive,” said Richardson. “Not only are immigrants motivated to learn, but they bring a certain richness to the classroom because of their lifetime experiences.”      “I like to travel and every time you see something different, it affects your perspective in a positive way,” said Gould. “If AHS wasn’t as diverse, or if someone went from a diverse school to non, it’s a loss.”

by Dana Filipczyk