KIPP Indy’s first graduation will mark historic moment for neighborhood

The 2023 class of KIPP Indy Legacy High, the school’s first graduating class, is a milestone for the school and the community it serves. The school is located in the historic Martindale-Brightwood neighborhood, a historically Black, working-class community that has endured the fallout of industrial collapse, was cut in two by the construction of a highway, and experienced federally mandated busing. The new school has become a central piece of the neighborhood fabric and the core of efforts to improve residents’ quality of life.

“We want high-quality options for our kids, where kids do not have to leave our neighborhood to have access to high-quality education and be able to compete,” said Barato Britt, executive director of the Edna Martin Center, which provides social services in the neighborhood. “When that’s provided within the community, it breaks certain cycles, helps us revitalize the neighborhood, and enhances the community pride that already exists.”