Indianapolis Mayor Ballard Visits Fall Creek Academy
Mayor Confers “Most Improved Student” Award

Mayor Ballard presents Senior Abbey Lynn with FCA’s Most Improved Student Award and 2 Colts tickets in the Mayor’s Box.

Fourth-grader Asia spontaneously greets Mayor Ballard and leads him inside.

Dr. Silverman introduces Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard in the North Rotunda.

FCA students listen to the Mayor’s message of perseverance.

September 15, 2008

Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard met with administration and talked with students at Fall Creek Academy today. The visit was part of Ballard’s tour of Indianapolis charter schools; the Office of the Mayor of Indianapolis is an approved authorizer of charter schools under Indiana law. FCA was authorized by the Office of the Mayor during former Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson’s tenure.

After being greeted at the door by our fourth grader Asia, who expressed an interest in meeting the mayor, Mayor Ballard first met with FCA Principal Dr. Anita Silverman, various teachers and staff members of Fall Creek, and Mary Gurnell-Clark, Director of Community Relations of the Greater Educational Opportunities Foundation.

Dr. Silverman led the discussion, sharing news of positive developments and highlighting the availability of free college credit through our partnership with Ivy Tech Community College. She noted particularly that parents are involved here and that children are actively learning.

Ballard, in turn, shared with the group that he is a first generation college graduate and that his family was virtually the only family on his block that sent children to college. He acknowledged the importance of parental involvement in children’s education and urged that FCA continue its efforts to keep parents involved – and physically on campus as much as possible.

Next, Ballard was introduced to and received a tour of the school from students Abbey Lynn (’09), E.J. Peterson (’09), Mia Terry (’10), and Eugene Comer (’10). The Mayor stepped into each elementary classroom and chatted with the students for a few minutes. When leaving one of the elementary classrooms, one excited student yelled out “I love you!” Ballard chuckled and responded, “You know, I really appreciate that.”

Ballard then spoke to FCA middle and high school students, gathered in the North Rotunda, reminding them that they have parents and teachers who are committed to a successful life for each student at Fall Creek Academy. He encouraged making choices that will ensure a successful life ten years from now, giving back to your community, and avoiding the violent drug culture. He reminded the students specifically that voluntarily involving themselves in a group which uses or deals drugs is voluntarily subjecting themselves to a violent culture.

Opening the discussion to questions, Ballard was asked about global warming, the Peace in the Streets campaign, and what his occupation would be now, were he not mayor (“Teaching,” he quickly replied). Ballard was engaging and the students were, too.

Finally, Ballard publicly recognized student Abbey Lynn as FCA’s Most Improved Student. Beaming, Lynn approached the mayor’s podium and received Ballard’s congratulations and a certificate of achievement. Before she could back away, however, Ballard surprised her with an additional token of congratulations: two tickets to the next home game of the Indianapolis Colts in the Mayor’s Skybox.

The visit concluded with Principal Silverman’s public introduction of student Nathan Brown (’09) as a National Achievement Semi-Finalist, one of only 1,700 Black American high school seniors out of more than 150,000 that requested consideration for the program.

View more success stories