Ithaca College

The Ithaca City School District (ICSD) held its third annual Leading with Love community event at Enfield Elementary School on Wednesday, September 4, marking the start of the 2019 – 2020 school year. 

The yearly event celebrates education, young people, and the power and potential of unified, loving communities. And this year, more than a dozen members of the Ithaca College faculty, staff and administration, including President Shirley M. Collado, were among those who greeted the arriving students with applause and plenty of high-fives.

“It’s a treat for us to come out here early in the morning and show some love to all of these students, and to be part of this great community is a real gift,” said Collado. “I know many of these students will attend our local higher education institutions in the coming years — TC3, Cornell, and IC — and it is so important that our campuses support home-grown talent.”

Following the student welcome, Superintendent Dr. Luvelle Brown and Enfield Principal Keith Harrington commented on the importance of compassion and inclusivity.  Brown, who is a member of the IC Board of Trustees, said this was a great way to open the school year — with conversations and emblematic examples of the ICSD’s loving culture. "This is a chance to show people from near and far what Ithaca and Tompkins County value: inclusive, empowering and culturally responsive environments.”

The Leading with Love event is held in cooperation with Cornell University’s Office of Community Relations.