John Alford

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2007

John Alford

NOLA 180

New Orleans, Louisiana, United States

Education & Youth Leadership

The Bold Idea:

Prior to Hurricane Katrina, the New Orleans public school system was considered by many experts to be the worst in the country. The high school drop-out rate hovered at 70 percent and over 70 percent of eighth graders failed to demonstrate basic skills in reading, writing, and mathematics.

As New Orleans moves to become the first all-charter school system of public education in the nation, there is mounting pressure to identify solutions to counter the city’s pattern of educational failure. NOLA 180 aims to restructure failed public schools into high-functioning charter schools that prepare all students for college. By focusing on improving existing schools instead of opening new ones, the district can be reformed at scale. NOLA 180’s goal is to send over 80 percent of enrolled students to college.

Biography:

Growing up in a housing project community in Brooklyn, New York, John Alford has firsthand knowledge of the systemic problems plaguing large urban public school systems. He first set foot in New Orleans in 2004, when he opened the first KIPP School in the city. He served as National Director of Trailblazing for the KIPP Foundation, leading its expansion from two schools in 2001 to forty-six in 2005. John graduated from North Carolina A&T State University and earned an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Moment of Obligation: What experiences led to the desire to start your own organization?
I’ve had several moments of obligation in my life: when I first realized that some of my classmates in third grade couldn’t read; when one of my high school classmates was shot; the countless times I would be the “only person of color” in a professional setting. My final moment of obligation to start an organization dedicated to improving public education came when I was in grad school and realized that so many of my bright, talented, outspoken classmates that were capable of changing the world were instead opting to take jobs as consultants and investment bankers. I thought to myself, “If the most capable of us aren’t going to tackle our country’s most pressing problems, who will?” I’ve also spoken to far too many Americans (black and white; rich and poor) who have given up on public education and are convinced that it will never be fixed. I want to prove all of those people wrong.

Gall to Think Big: What has given you the ability to dream big and take on deeply entrenched social and difficult problems?
Going to Harvard Business School really broadened my horizons. So many of my classmates were so accomplished at an early age. We had so many CEOs and world leaders speak on campus. The environment there encouraged me to reach goals that I had previously thought were off-limits to me. I now think and dream bigger than ever before. We only have one lifetime to make a difference so it’s best to go for the gusto. I’m uncomfortable with comfort and complacency.  My dad founded the East New York Little League in the 1970s to give kids on the street something worthwhile to do. He also worked to help low-income parents get financial assistance to support their family. I think about the contribution he made and I definitely want to live up to the example he left for me.

New and Untested: What’s innovative about your new idea for social change?
NOLA 180 is innovative in the sense that we are focused exclusively on turning around the toughest public schools in the one of the worst school districts in the country (New Orleans). If we can take schools that have historically had a 70 percent dropout rate and transform them into ones that have a 90 percent college graduation rate, then we will be able to prove that public education in this country can indeed be saved. It’s just a matter of providing schools with adequate resources and eliminating the bureaucracies and politics that get in the way of serving kids.

Seeing Possibilities: What are the most important qualities to be a successful social entrepreneur?
Exceptional planning and execution ability, exceptional critical thinking skills, and the ability to lead and manage others well.

Which musical artists/albums get you going and keep you inspired?
Oh, what a great question. So glad you asked. Jay-Z by far. Half of my iTunes Top 40 Most Played songs are by Jay-Z. He’s from Brooklyn and he’s a hustler. Starting a school from scratch definitely requires a lot of hustle. My favorite song by him is “Never Change.” It’s about staying true to yourself and always working hard to get the most out of life. I also love Nas, Mos Def, Mobb Deep and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. My #1 and #2 most played songs in my library are "Dosed" and "I Could Die For You" by Red Hot Chili Peppers. I also love local New Orleans jazz acts: Trombone Shorty, Irvin Mayfield and Rebirth Brass Band. Truly amazing is the only way to describe these guys.

What books do you recommend?
Good to Great by Jim Collins (great book about organizations), One Day My Soul Just Opened Up by Iyanla Vanzant (keeps me grounded and real), Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom, One Day…All Children by Wendy Kopp, Autobiography of Malcolm X by Alex Haley, Tiger by John Strege, Creating Modern Capitalism by Thomas McCraw (really, really great book about how capitalism drives our country and corporations were formed here in the U.S.).

Which websites do you visit often?

• nola.com (local newspaper, Times Picayune)
• pgatour.com (I love golf)
• wikipedia.com (I’m always looking stuff up there)

What advice or quote do you keep close to your heart as a social change leader?
“Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the grey twilight that knows not victory nor defeat. ” – Theodore Roosevelt, 1899.