Meet Lemi Tilahun, problem-solver and advocate at Cedar Rapids Hoover Community School

Since this story was published, Lemi Tilahun has resigned from the district, and a new community school coordinator has been hired to work at Hoover Community School.

CEDAR RAPIDS — Lemi Tilahun is a problem-solver and an advocate for students, families and community members at Hoover Community School in northwest Cedar Rapids.

As the community school coordinator, Tilahun visits classrooms daily to build relationships with students and teachers. He addresses any and all problems that arise, including barriers to housing, child care and transportation, food insecurity and access to health care.

Hoover Community School, 4141 Johnson Ave. NW, is an elementary school with almost 450 pre-K through fifth-graders, many from refugee and immigrant families.

It adopted a community school model in 2018 that prioritizes education and also offers wraparound services and supports to its families and community members.

Every year, the school’s students, families, community partners, faculty and staff are asked the following questions:

Tilahun takes the responses and works with advisory councils on how to make turn some of the suggestions into reality.

Listening, acting

A few years ago, a number of Hoover’s students asked for more before- and after-school activities.

From that came the Hoover Running Club for third- through fifth-graders. It’s an after-school activity that also builds friendships and provides mentors via the coaches.

Students and families a few years ago also flagged the lack of diversity in the books in the school library.

A library audit in the 2019-20 school year found only 3 percent of the school’s library books had a diverse character, Tilahun said. Today, nearly one-third of the books have diverse main characters, he said.

“That ended up having a transformative result,” he said, adding that the work is ongoing.

Community help

Tilahun also works directly with community members who need help.

Earlier this month, for example, Tilahun became aware of a family facing eviction. He met with the family and the property manager to come up with a solution.

“The idea is to empower and build self-sufficiency,” he said. “We’re removing barriers constantly."

When English isn’t your first language, it is hard to interpret and process something like an eviction notice, Tilahun said. That’s when he or another school representative can help and be an advocate for a family.

Tilahun helps families find permanent or temporary housing and connects them to community partners who may be able to help them pay off their past-due rent. From there, Tilahun works with the family to come up with a sustainable solution — a plan for their future.

‘Perfect fit’

Tilahun, 30, grew up in southwest Cedar Rapids near Hoover.

His family emigrated from Ethiopia, and he was an English Language Learner student at Cleveland Elementary. He speaks several languages, including Afaan Oromoo, Amharic, Spanish, Portuguese and English.

Tilahun graduated from Coe College in Cedar Rapids, where he studied political science and economics. Before coming to Hoover, he helped resettle refugees and helped families enroll their children in school.

That work sparked Tilahun’s interest in education, and when Hoover Elementary became Hoover Community School in 2018, he decided on a career change.

“I was already working with many of the vulnerable families I helped enroll in schools, and I wanted to be able to build on those relationships and help put together a program that is culturally sensitive and responsive to their needs,” Tilahun said.

“It was this perfect fit.”

Learning their value

Tilahun loves the diversity of the students, staff and community at Hoover, and the different perspectives that come with that mix, he said.

The school’s staffers work hard at cultural competence — the ability to understand and honor different cultures, languages and traditions. They respect diversity, Tilahun said.

Tilahun hopes more schools turn to the community model.

“I’ve seen first hand the kind of impact it can have on students — not only on them achieving learning — but having the opportunity to know people care and value them very much,” he said.

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