Voices of the District: Sonia Cooper
Sonia Cooper is the proud mother of Daresha Cooper, an eleventh grader at Kensington Creative and Performing Arts High School. Ms. Cooper has always been a strong advocate for her children throughout their education in the School District of Philadelphia and has grown to be an integral support for KCAPA as a volunteer.
Throughout her children’s education, Ms. Cooper worked tirelessly to make sure they received the services they needed. By becoming involved in her son’s schools, Ms. Cooper helped her son and his teachers develop and implement his Individualized Education Program (IEP). She ensured that her son was in the right school for his needs and that he received the behavioral support that he needed to remain challenged and focused in class and successful beyond his K-12 education.
For her daughter Daresha, Ms. Cooper wanted to find a school that could challenge her academically and specifically support her advancement in English. Daresha was also very passionate about dancing, so together, Daresha and Ms. Cooper decided KCAPA would be the best high school option for her.
After a new faculty member joined KCAPA, Ms. Cooper saw progress in Daresha’s talents that not even she could have expected. When asked if Daresha could have been so successful in high school without Ms. Cooper being so involved, Ms. Cooper promptly replied, “No.”
From answering phones at the front desk to monitoring the halls and lunchroom to supporting the school counselor and college access coordinator, Ms. Cooper describes herself as “a jack of all trades.” She’s been volunteering at KCAPA for three years, and since getting involved, she’s been instrumental in getting the School Advisory Council off the ground. One or two parents used to attend SAC meetings last year, but because Ms. Cooper has a talent for getting families engaged in the school and developing trust among the students, KCAPA’s SAC has several members that regularly attend meetings this year.
She is an excellent example of someone who will always ask, “What can we help you with?” and her attitude toward service is what attracts so many parents and family members to getting involved in neighborhood schools.
“Every parent wants their children to be prepared to go out into the real world,” Ms. Cooper says. Her involvement in District schools and the support she ensures for her children have turned into a cycle of giving.
The more she’s involved with her children’s education, the more successful they become. In the FACE Office, we always mention that studies show family engagement directly leads to academic success—Ms. Cooper is real-life proof of this.
