Strawberry Mansion High School is located in Philadelphia’s Fairmount neighborhood. It’s considered one of the most dangerous high schools in the country. At the beginning of the 2012 school year, 435 students were enrolled.
With 94 cameras, six school police offers and two metal detectors, ABC’s Diane Sawyer gives viewers an inside look at what life is like for these students.
The current principal is Linda Cliatt-Wayman. She is the fourth the high school principal they’ve had in four years. Before coming to Strawberry Mansion, she was an assistant superintendent of high schools for the Philadelphia public school system.
“I could not find a principal who was suitable to handle this school,” Cliatt-Wayman said. “Therefore, I said to myself, because I love these students dearly and I knew the community … I would just volunteer to be the principal.”
Since she started last fall, the number of incidents have been cut in half. There have been 49 incidents from fires to teacher attacks reported in or near the school. In the report, ABC News’ cameras captured students fighting in the cafeteria and being bullied, as well as students who shared their dreams of going to college.
Despite the fear and daily violence, many bright students emerge from the bunch aspiring to achieve more in life.
You can watch the rest of the report here.
Here’s more information on how you can help the students at Strawberry Mansion High School.
Photo from ABC News