Our Legacy of Leadership
The Eleanor Holmes Norton Law & Public Policy Academy is named in honor of one of Dunbar High School’s most distinguished alumnae. A civil-rights lawyer, educator, public servant, and longtime Delegate representing the District of Columbia in the U.S. House of Representatives, Eleanor Holmes Norton has spent her career advancing civil rights, equal opportunity, D.C. self-government, and democratic participation.
Her connection to Dunbar makes her legacy especially meaningful to our students. The academy carries that tradition forward by preparing young people to understand law and public policy, examine systems of power, communicate across differences, advocate with evidence, and use their voices to strengthen their communities.
Our Mission & Vision
The Eleanor Holmes Norton Law & Public Policy Academy develops socially aware, culturally grounded student leaders who understand law, public policy, power, and their responsibility to the broader community. Through rigorous coursework, real-world legal and civic experiences, civil discourse, restorative practices, and community-rooted projects, students learn to analyze complex issues, communicate across differences, advocate with evidence, and take informed action. Grounded in Washington, D.C., Dunbar’s history, and the cultural knowledge of the African diaspora, the academy prepares students for college, careers, civic leadership, and public service.
We envision every LPP student graduating as an informed, ethical, culturally grounded, and professionally prepared civic leader. Academy graduates will understand their rights and responsibilities, analyze law and public policy through multiple perspectives, communicate productively across differences, use research and media responsibly, and apply their learning to authentic legal, civic, and community challenges.
Students will leave Dunbar with a portfolio of public work, real-world experiences, professional networks, and opportunities to earn recognized credentials-prepared to pursue college, careers, civic leadership, and public service in Washington, D.C., and beyond.
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Educate
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Validate
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Empower
Educated
Students understand constitutional and human rights, analyze law and public policy, evaluate credible information, recognize misinformation, and navigate civic and legal systems with skill and clarity.
Validated
Students learn in an environment that honors their identities, voices, lived experiences, cultural heritage, and community knowledge while helping them listen to and learn from perspectives different from their own.
Empowered
Students learn to lead, deliberate, facilitate, repair harm, advocate with evidence, create responsible civic media, and take purposeful action in school, community, professional, and public settings.
College & Career Readiness
Students build résumés, portfolios, networks, professional communication skills, internship experiences, and credentials.
Civic Action
Students move from studying issues to taking informed action through testimony, advocacy, voter engagement, community projects, and public-facing work.
Restorative Leadership
Through Youth Justice and the Richard A. Bangura Peer Court, students practice accountability, empathy, conflict resolution, and repair.
Civil Discourse
Students learn to research complex issues, listen across differences, facilitate deliberations, and communicate with evidence.
Law & Public Policy
Students examine constitutional rights, legal systems, public policy, and the institutions that shape their lives. Courts, government institutions, museums, law schools, cultural organizations, and community partners extend learning beyond Dunbar.
More Than A Law Program
LPP is not simply a pathway for students who want to become attorneys. Our students explore law, public policy, government, advocacy, media, restorative justice, civic leadership, and public service through experiences that connect classroom learning to the real world.
Our Graduate Profile
An LPP graduate can:
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Analyze complex legal, political, and social issues.
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Communicate across differences with evidence, empathy, and purpose.
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Research & Create using credible information and responsible media.
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Understand Rights & Systems and how they affect lived experience.
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Lead & Restore through service, accountability, and collaborative problem-solving.
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Act through advocacy, deliberation, public work, and civic engagement.
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Prepare for the Future through portfolios, credentials, professional experiences, and postsecondary planning.