we stand front and center [Music] when i allow myself to truly absorb what this means as a value for school i'm first drawn to the words we stand the value is not we are front and center but we stand front and center so beyond the meaning of being upright or firm or planted or present it is a clear declaration of individual belonging a particular place at a particular moment in time as part of a collective then the value invites the questions of where do we stand and how do we stand before the reverend dr martin luther king jr would give a prepared talk he would take his prepared remarks and tuck them away as if to say i've done all the preparation so i can trust whatever will come from my heart and in doing so you can learn to connect with me on a heart level so when he gave his speech at the march on washington mahalia jackson yelled from behind him tell them about the dream martin tell them about the dream since she heard him talk about it before she knew what was in his heart and he in turn trusted her instincts and guidance so when the school states as a value that we stand front and center they are saying that educators and students connect with each other on a heart level where they trust those who know them to guide them into realizing their dreams not to the margins but front and center where they belong and the collective will not stand for anything less