LOCAL Houston | The City Guide JUNE 2015 | Page 52

Local June_FinalEDITED.qxp_002houston 5/21/15 7:24 PM Page 52

THE IT FACTOR:
INFUSING TODAY’S YOUTH
When we think about what’s “hot,” education doesn’t necessarily leap to the top of our list, but it should.
Nothing should be more “it” than helping to shape today’s youth into tomorrow’s leaders. With that in
mind, we sat down for a little Q&A with STUART DOW, Head of School for the EMERY/WEINER SCHOOL. For readers not familiar

with the school or its progressive and highly praised teaching methodology, often referred to as The Emery Difference, here
is just a brief 101.

The school was established in 1978 as private, college-preparatory middle and high school environmentally framed by and
infused with progressive and pluralistic Judaism (www.emeryweiner.org). Stuart’s original career path started off very differently,
graduating from Yale and UT with degrees in history and law, respectively. After becoming part of the founding board for
KIPP (also here in Houston), he found himself ripe for a change in career trajectory. Stuart had recently started a mentoring
get-together group for young adults (J-MASS, for short, to help illustrate the intended appeal of the group for not taking itself
too seriously), and realized that his passion for academia and public speaking would find their home at The Emery/Weiner
School.
In speaking with Stuart, I was curious as to wh