West End School celebrates its first graduates!

I blogged on this amazing effort earlier. But here's an update from Sheryl Edelen on the front-page of the C-J about Robert & Deborah Blair's West-End boarding school...

...the West End School, a small, free boarding school for boys from low-income families in western Louisville...six eighth-graders set to be part of the school's first graduation on Thursday. [Kenneth] has been accepted at several private high schools, including Trinity, Kentucky Country Day, St. Francis and the Walden School.

“I've improved dramatically since I've been here,” Kenneth said, adding that for the first time, he's thinking about college and his future. “I think I'd like to be an engineer,” he said.

The future of the nonprofit West End School, which was founded in fall 2005 by Robert and Deborah Blair, also looks promising.

It now has 13 students, owns its building — the old Carter Elementary School at 3628 Virginia Ave. — and has spent $1.25 million renovating classrooms, creating dormitory space for up to 24 boys, and building two small apartments for house parents, including one for the Blairs.

It has raised $3.5 million in grants, donations and in-kind gifts since opening, and has launched a $5 million capital campaign....

The Blairs' backgrounds are in education. He was headmaster at Kentucky Country Day School from 1991 to 2002. She has a master of education in psychology and counseling, and has been a teacher, counselor and administrator....

Blair said the school's students are typically a year or two behind academically when they arrive, and their grades range across the spectrum....

The boys have no access to cable television, wristwatches, radios or cell phones during their time at the school. Internet use is limited to the classroom.

But technology and TV aren't what some of the boys say they miss most while at the school.

“Girls!” sixth-graders Bryan Crowder and Bryson Garner and eighth-graders Tyree Porter and Keith English said in unison.

“And the bus rides home and talking to my friends,” Bryan said.

“And getting to sleep all day,” Bryson said.

But the boys said they also have found much to love about the school...favorite teachers...male bonding....“We're like a family.”...

Deborah Blair said she doesn't have time to miss much from her life before West End School, when the couple, who have two grown children, lived on Limewood Circle in eastern Jefferson County.

“Day in, day out, we know we have so many people praying for us, and we always depend on God's grace. We take things one day at a time,” she said. “I feel like He's been preparing me for this my entire life.”...

Robert Blair said the school's next step is to focus on its soon-to-be graduates. While they all have been accepted to area private schools, the next big challenge will be finding ways to cover tuition that's not covered by financial-aid programs, arranging reliable school transportation for the boys and deciding whether any might need to continue living at the West End School next year for continued structure and routine....