By Gerald V. Paul

Come September, the Toronto District School Board, TDSB, will open their second Africentric High School, in the west end of the city.

Downsview Secondary School will host the programme for grade 9 students.

According to Shari Schwartz-Maltz, spokesperson for the TDSB, “This year, there are 18 students signed up for the Winston Churchill Collegiate programme (the original Africentric High School), and there are still more kids  registering .”

Schwartz-Maltz, said the reason for just six students enrolling in the programme at Winston Churchill Collegiate last year, was  because it was announced a little bit on the late side and no one knew much about it.

The decision to add a second Africentric High School has been met with enthusiasm by parents.

“When an individual knows himself and knows who they are, where they have come from, like genius, it builds their self confidence,” an excited mother said.

Parents have until   May 24^TH to sign up for the new programme.

The Africentric Alternative (elementary) School, located within a wing of Sheppard Public School, not far from Downsview Secondary, has its first group of elementary graduates leaving for high school this year.

“The reality is the Africentric elementary school has been a very big success,” said Schwart-Maltz,

The curriculum consists of English, French, geography and math, with an Africentric focus.

Costs to develop the secondary school programme have not been released.