Tag: education

Honoring the Legacy of Tony Hsieh through Community Partnerships

Local leaders, residents, and community supporters in Downtown Las Vegas, Nevada celebrated an educational milestone for the city on Friday, Dec. 12, the late Tony Hsieh’s 52nd birthday, now known as Tony Hsieh Day.

The Strong Start Academy Elementary School at the Tony Hsieh Education Center held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of a new building. City officials, school leaders, the Hsieh family, friends, and construction partner Builders United attended.  

Tony Hsieh supported the arts, small businesses, and education in Las Vegas. He was also known for leading the Las Vegas-based retail company Zappos and his bestselling book, Delivering Happiness. In 2012, Hsieh led a visionary effort to create more community in Las Vegas by investing $350 million in local businesses through the Downtown Project, now named DTP Companies. 

Strong Start Academy Elementary School opened in 2021, first as a mobile school, and was the nation’s first city-run charter school. The non-profit Strong Start Academy, originally founded by the city of Las Vegas, operates the school and is now run by an independent 501 (c) (3) board.

The Kindergarten through 5th-grade school is at 310 South 9th Street. The school’s location was formerly home to the 9th Bridge School, a DTP organization reflecting Tony’s passion for experiential learning. The new classroom building, for third through fifth graders, increases the school’s capacity to 360 students.

Dr. Tammy Malich, Director of Youth Development and Social Initiatives, opened the event.

Las Vegas Mayor Shelley Berkley spoke on the importance of the school for the city, especially for those who “historically face barriers to accessing education” and typically attend one or two-star schools. One-star schools do not meet the state requirements for academic performance, while two-star schools partially meet requirements. Mayor Berkley said, “Strong Start not only prepares students for success in school, but the world they will inherit.” Strong Start is a four-star school, meaning all students demonstrate satisfactory academic performance.

Ward 3 Councilwoman Olivia Diaz noted the opportunities created by the school for all parties, especially the support to embrace one’s own culture, and thanked the Hsieh family and the school. 

School principal Ms. Miriam Benitez also emphasized the partnerships between the school, the city, and the family and expressed gratitude for the support of the school community. Principal Benitez shared some of the documented benefits of a bilingual education. She said, “It opens doors for the future. Dual language programs are proven to strengthen cognitive skills, problem-solving, and creativity, with students consistently outperforming peers academically over time.” Principal Benitez thanked Richard and Judy Hsieh for “continuing the spirit of giving and community that Tony was known for”. The partnership with the city helps with the ongoing issue of space, a known challenge for charter schools. 

The school fills a need for education in downtown Las Vegas, preparing students for the future inside and outside of school by creating cultural competency, empathy, cross-cultural understanding, and the ability to collaborate with others from diverse backgrounds. Importantly, they value their own heritage and the heritage of others, Ms. Benitez shared.

President of Builders United, Kallen Kildea, concluded the remarks, reinforcing the deep collaboration between the school and the city. Kildea noted that with the completion of the construction of the physical building, he thinks the “human construction” project that will happen inside is even more meaningful. He described the Strong Start as an educational experience based on culture, language, and community. Kildean says the school is an example of what public commitment and private craftsmanship can achieve together.

After the ribbon-cutting, in an annual school program, students learned about Tony Hsieh’s life, which included a cultural performance by Tony’s mom, Dr. Judy Hsieh. The students learned that Tony loved his family, animals, and community, supported small businesses and artists, and was known for interesting hats. Dr. Hsieh gave the students a hat for her yearly gift.

According to the Strong Start handbook, “The mission of Strong Start Academy Elementary School is to provide equitable, high-quality academics as we prepare our bilingual, civic-minded thinkers to maximize their potential in their community and the world.” All Strong Start students benefit from proven dual-language instruction. Children do not need to be bilingual to attend, only open to the dual language learning experience. 

The author attended the ribbon-cutting event and continues to follow Strong Start Academy’s growth. For interview requests or more information, please contact karilenmays at gmail dot com or 425-533-3332.