For most of us, a conversation about school brings back memories of our earliest and oldest friends, a childhood crush, going to lunch and recess, learning about government, having “fun” with algebra, or pretending to play this week’s gym class game in front of huge crowds on television. The thought that may not surface while taking this stroll down memory lane is the vital role schools play in the health of our cities and communities.

They bring together parents, teachers and students in a conducive learning environment and provide facilities for community meetings, youth athletics and voting places for the greater community around the school. Most of us will personally visit or pass through a school this month, but we fail to recognize the potential that the facility itself has to produce better graduates and enhance our communities. In fact, many of the approximately 133,000 schools in this country are old, dirty and literally falling down. But just like the opportunity in buildings in general, this special building type offers more than just a better resource today. When we get schools right, we are assured a better future for all.

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