By Sen. Cory McCray
When I was growing up, my world was small. Like many of my peers in Baltimore, I saw opportunity only as far as my neighborhood reached. It wasn’t until my mother introduced me to an electrical apprenticeship that my vision of what was possible began to shift. That opportunity reshaped my future and expanded what I believed was possible.
Anyone who knows me has heard this story. I share it again because the lesson remains urgent: exposure, mentorship and opportunity can be the difference between a life of limitation and a life of purpose.
That same truth is on display today at Gardenville Elementary School in Northeast Baltimore. Like many schools in historically disinvested neighborhoods, Gardenville serves students facing compounded challenges. More than 80 percent live in poverty, and the school’s small K-5 enrollment often translates to fewer resources. That means limited access to the kinds of programs that spark confidence, creativity and critical thinking.
In this context, even essentials like art, music and library time are offered only part-time. These aren’t extras—they’re vital opportunities for students to express themselves, explore the world and discover new pathways to success.
That’s where leaders like Macee Carroll Capel step in—turning gaps into gateways. Macee, founder of the Carroll School of Dance, has been nurturing young dancers across Baltimore for over 13 years. She understands that dance education is about mindset. It builds self-discipline, confidence, cultural awareness, and teamwork.
Proximity played a big role. The Carroll School of Dance is just blocks from Gardenville. Some of Macee’s dancers already attend the school. When Harvey Miles, Gardenville’s School Community Coordinator, recognized the need for more enriching programs, we worked together to bring Macee’s vision inside the building.
Thanks to support from the Family League of Baltimore—and funding I was proud to secure in the state budget—the Carroll School of Dance now serves nearly 230 young scholars twice a week—blending dance with academics, and giving students a powerful outlet for expression.
Because Baltimore City Public Schools doesn’t currently offer a dance curriculum, Macee and her team built one from scratch—weaving together technique, history, and leadership development. The impact is tangible.
Gardenville shouldn’t be the exception. Every school in Baltimore deserves access to innovative partnerships like this one. We can’t allow school funding formulas to dictate whether a child has access to the arts, to mentorship, or to possibility.
My apprenticeship journey taught me that exposure isn’t a luxury—it’s a lifeline. And now, this partnership between Gardenville Elementary and the Carroll School of Dance is proving it all over again.
When we invest in exposure, we invest in the next generation of leaders, artists, and changemakers.
That’s the power of exposure.
That’s the promise of partnership.
And that’s how we build the Baltimore our young people deserve.
The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the writer and not necessarily those of the AFRO.
