Govans Elementary’s Generational Graduates
June 24, 2026
This year’s closing ceremony for Govans Elementary School’s 5th grade class was more than a celebration of students moving on to middle school; it was a powerful reminder of the lasting relationships that define great schools.
Among the families honoring their rising 6th graders were Shada Phillips and her daughter London and Darranetta Daivs and her daughter Honor. For these two mothers, the ceremony marked a full-circle moment. More than 20 years ago, they sat in classrooms at Collington Square Elementary School, one of the first Baltimore Curriculum Project (BCP) neighborhood conversion charter schools. Their teachers at Collington were current Govans Principal Bernarda Kwaw and Assistant Principal Victoria Jennings.
Today, their own children have completed their elementary school journey at Govans under the leadership of those same educators. For Ms. Kwaw and Ms. Jennings, seeing former students return as parents is one of the greatest and humbling rewards of a career in education.
A Full-Circle Moment for Govans Families
“Generational teaching strengthens the culture and community of Govans because it creates a deep sense of trust, connection, and shared history,” says Ms. Kwaw. “One of the most rewarding experiences as an educator and principal is seeing the children of former students walk through our doors each day. Having taught some of the parents of our current students allows me to build relationships that extend beyond a single school year and, in some cases, across decades.”
Honor and London’s families are not the only second-generation families at Govans to have been taught by Ms. Kwaw and Ms. Jennings. Current families include:
- Jean Anderson (son Tyree, rising 5th grade)
- Desmond Baker (daughters Dallas, rising 4th grade, and Dynver, rising 1st grade)
- Twins Angelique Brown (son Chase, rising 1st grade, and daughter Denver, rising 5th grade) and Unique Brown (daughter Harmoni, rising Kindergarten)
- Jasmine King (son Sean, rising 1st grader)
Ms. Kwaw adds that when families know that their school has educators who have invested in multiple generations, it reinforces the idea that Govans is more than a school—it is a community.
The Power of Relationships in Education
“For those ‘students of students,’ the pride we feel is immeasurable,” adds Ms. Jennings. “For their parents, most of whom graduated from 8th grade at Collington Square years ago, we feel so impressed by their success as parents, who continue to value education and support their children in their educational journey. And to be a part of this journey is so overwhelmingly heartwarming.
The experience speaks to the unique power of strong relationships in education. While students may only spend a few years in a classroom, the impact of caring teachers and supportive schools can last a lifetime. The trust built between educators and families often extends far beyond report cards, parent conferences, and graduation ceremonies.
“As a teacher, one builds special bonds in a short period of time, and those bonds last a lifetime, despite the distance or length of time in between,” Ms. Jennings adds.
For Ms. Kwaw, those bonds extend to her former students and current Govans parents asking about her family because they remember her being pregnant when Ms. Kwaw taught them. “They are just as amazed to hear about how my children have grown up, as am I to see how they have grown and become parents,” she reflects.
Teaching generations in the same family creates a powerful sense of pride and belonging. Students recognize that they are part of a legacy, and families see firsthand how education can positively impact generations. “It reminds us that the work we do today has lasting effects far beyond the classroom,” Ms. Kwaw says. “At Govans, those multigenerational connections help preserve our traditions, strengthen our relationships, and foster a culture where every child and family feels valued, known, and supported.”
From Students to Parents: A 20-Year Connection
Those bonds are evident as both Ms. Kwaw and Ms. Jennings could still recall classroom moments with the parents they once taught: science experiments, field trips, daily routines, and countless conversations that helped shape their growth as young people.
“I recall their pre-teen smiles and hear their pre-teen laughter,” Ms. Jennings says of daily classroom routines, field trips, and special events. “I remember grading their papers and requiring fix-ups and re-dos until their work was polished and accurate.”
Now, years later, they have had the privilege of watching the next generation grow and succeed.
There are qualities that often pass from one generation to the next: determination, kindness, curiosity, resilience, and a commitment to hard work. Throughout their time at Govans, these students have demonstrated many of the same traits their mothers displayed as students years ago.
Those qualities will serve them well as they continue their educational journeys at Lillie Mae Carroll Jackson Middle School where London will attend middle school and Mother Seton Academy where Honor will be a student.
The Power of Generational Teaching
For Ms. Kwaw and Ms. Jennings, these stories are a reminder that schools are about much more than academics. They are community institutions where relationships are built, nurtured, and sustained over decades. When families return to a school because of the trust they have in its educators, it reflects the profound and lasting influence schools can have on children and families alike.
As BCP enters its fourth decade of serving Baltimore students, generational connections like these continue to strengthen the culture and community of schools such as Govans.
For these families, the closing ceremony was not simply the end of an elementary school chapter. It was a celebration of relationships spanning more than two decades—a testament to the enduring impact of dedicated educators and the power of schools to connect generations through learning, trust, and community.
Following the ceremony, Ms. Kwaw and Ms. Jennings were invited to attend London’s graduation party, where they met several other former Collington students who have remained close to London’s mother. “They live different lives in different parts of the city, but are all still in touch with each other,” notes Ms. Kwaw.
“It made us feel really good to know that a bond from elementary and middle school had lasted that long, and again that we were a part of it,” she adds. “It’s great to know that we had a hand in the lives of their parents as well as the lives of their children, albeit in different capacities.”