When students walk down the halls of the brand-new John Lewis Social Justice Academy at Oliver Wendell Holmes, they’ll step into a space built just for them, a place that honors the school’s history while opening doors to its future.
The $80 million campus, built as part of the 2020 Bond Program, was designed with both innovation and tradition in mind. Its metal screens, preserved from the original building, and color-matched brick serve as nods to the school’s legacy, while features like a central open library, described as a “living room” concept, reflect a vision for the future.
“I’ve been working on this project for the last two or three years of my life, so to see it filled up, that’s always the biggest moment for me,” said Brent Alfred, chief of construction services. “The architects did a tremendous job of listening, interpreting the data, and making it real.”
Located in West Oak Cliff, the two-story building is full of natural light and state-of-the-art learning spaces. Inside, the design invites collaboration with a maker space classroom and other common spaces for students to build community. From its auditorium to the competitive gym, every corner was built to support learning and amplify student voice.
Alfred believes the facility will set a new standard.
“It’s a transformation, it’s top-notch,” Alfred said.“I challenge anybody to find something that’s a better facility for kids than right here. That’s great for Oak Cliff to be able to say that.”
The academy’s signature feature is the chamber, a unique instructional space where students can learn about civic literacy, practice public speaking, and connect their studies to real-world leadership skills. It will focus on promoting advocacy and leadership, honoring the legacy of Congressman John Lewis. Monique Paige, principal of John Lewis, hopes the chamber will inspire students to learn about civil engagement.
“I think social studies is one of those subjects where students don’t see themselves anymore,” she said. “I see this chamber being the resolution. We get an opportunity to reimagine what education looks like in a space like this, but more importantly, these kids get to see themselves.”
The Oak Cliff community has already begun embracing the new school, with over 250 parents attending a recent “Meet the Principal” event, Paige added.
“We have multiple generations that were here, and they experienced in real time what their scholars are going to get to engage in,” she said. “For the community, it just really validated their sense of belonging and how their kids endured being at a temporary campus, but at the end of the day, it was all worth it to return here.”
Paige hopes the academy will inspire a generation of students who understand both the legacy of John Lewis and the power of their own voices.
“I want students to truly understand what John Lewis meant to this nation, be able to speak to the tenets of good trouble and understand what civic literacy is,” she said. “I want them to understand what it means to have a strong voice and a set of principles that you stand for.”
From honoring the past to shaping the future, the John Lewis Social Justice Academy stands as a new chapter for students, a place where history, advocacy, and opportunity meet.
