Despite dire reports about Detroit schools, there are some kids here that are actually, well, all right. Instead of asking their parents to tell us how much they love the city and their schools, and what they would change if they could, we just asked the kids.

So we bring you four teenage Detroiters representing a cross section of city youth. They go to different schools — public and private, city and nearby suburb. They come from different backgrounds. It seems that the perfect storm of family involvement, school quality and extracurricular opportunities has combined in such way that each young Detroiter — gasp! — faces an inspiring and bright future. It’s pretty clear: These are cool kids. We asked them to shed a little light on their experiences for our readers.

Who are they? There’s Anna Rose Canzano, a 13-year old Lafayette Park resident who has attended public and private schools. Nathan Santoscoy, 15, lives in Indian Village and attends Cass Technical High School, a high-performing magnet in the Detroit Public School system. East Sider Maya Sewell is 13 and attends St. Clare of Montefalco in nearby Grosse Pointe Park. Finally, University of Detroit Jesuit senior Anthony Kinsey’s neighborhood is Jefferson Village.

These students are urbanites: They bike the Dequindre Cut, swim at Belle Isle, check out books from Detroit Public Libraries, skate Campus Martius and make pies from locally grown produce. They are cognizant of Detroit’s media reputation, both fairly and unfairly deserved. Across the board, they are smart cookies.

Here they are, in their own words, four Detroit students who one day, if we’re all lucky, might be calling the shots around here.

Click on each name for their stories:
• Nathan Santoscoy
• Anna Rose Canzano
• Maya Sewell
• Anthony Kinsey

Kelli B. Kavanaugh is Development News editor for Model D. Send feedback here.

By Meghan McEwen – November 28, 2006 | Model D

Let’s face it, some people think raising your kids in Detroit is borderline child abuse. If you’re a Detroit parent, you know there’s no end to the sneering questions people ask about raising kids in the city. If you’re not, then you may be surprised by how many people, who could easily put down roots elsewhere, have chosen Detroit — and wouldn’t have it any other way. Meghan McEwen gathers a panel of city parents for a discussion about what it’s really like.

Click here to read the entire Model D article.

Do you want to find a downtown condo or loft for your growing family? Are you looking for a school to nurture your budding artist? How about connecting with other parents raising their kids in Midtown?

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