Every September, Patty Lewis marks the start of the school year by playing her favorite ’80s music on a speaker to welcome students to the Adam J. Lewis Academy. The school is named in honor of her husband and the author’s father, Adam, who died in the September 11 attacks at the World Trade Center in 2001. Adam grew up with his father in a Bronx apartment and attended local public schools before earning a scholarship to Manhattan’s Dalton School through his athletic ability. This chance transformed his life and cemented his belief that education acts as the ultimate equalizer, providing a level playing field regardless of background. He later graduated from Hamilton College, where he met Patty, and pursued a career at the financial firm Keefe, Bruyette & Woods within the Twin Towers. After welcoming four children—Reilly, Sam, Sophie, and the author—Patty left teaching to raise them while Adam balanced his career with active, dedicated parenting. Ten years after the tragedy, Patty returned to education in admissions at a private school in Westport, Connecticut. There, she interviewed numerous children from nearby Bridgeport, a lower-income area with struggling public schools, and observed how many capable students lacked essential foundational skills and faced rejection. This inspired her to envision a high-quality early childhood program to provide children with that necessary foundation. She shared her concept with her friend and former teacher Julie Mombello, who initially called her crazy before listening for six hours as Patty detailed how educational opportunities could alter a child’s life just as it had for Adam. The Adam J. Lewis Preschool was incorporated in 2011, and after a two-year search for a location and staff recruitment, it opened in Bridgeport in 2013 with 12 students. Community support grew rapidly, notably from Adam’s former employer, KBW, whose CEO and Adam’s close friend, Tom Michaud, along with the company, sponsored the playground and continue supporting the institution today. Following surging interest from donors and families, Patty expanded the school grade by grade, relaunching it as the Adam J. Lewis Academy in 2018. Currently, AJLA serves nearly 200 students spanning pre-K through eighth grade. Adam’s legacy endures not only through the school’s name but also through the students themselves. Reflecting on the 25 years since the tragedy, as Tom Michaud noted, the story of 9/11 continues to be written as AJLA shapes new chapters with every student.
Source: cbsnews.com
