Board Member • FCE Parent
Stephanie Duncan is a resident of East Palo Alto, a parent of two, and an FCE board member. Daughter Taylor (junior in college) and son Dylan (senior in high school) have both attended high school outside of the EPA community, and both parents work. Taylor is now in her third year at CSU Channel Islands, but it was hardly a guarantee that she would attend college prior to her involvement with FCE.
In the early 2010s, Stephanie and her family were seeking a safe space for their children to study and socialize after school. This was a particularly pressing issue because Taylor had at times struggled in school due to dyslexia. Once Taylor joined FCE, however, she flourished. With FCE, Taylor attended leadership programs and workshops, toured colleges, and excelled academically. In Stephanie’s eyes, FCE made all the difference: “FCE was there when she had breakdowns, whether teenager-related or work-related or whatever. I will always be indebted to them”. Dylan, meanwhile, joined FCE as a part of STEAM and attends Palo Alto High School.
For Stephanie, the absolute best part of FCE is the staff. “They sincerely care. It’s not just a job for them–they’re willing to go the extra mile.” Stephanie believes that FCE is successful because it understands inequalities within the community and successfully ameliorates those problems. “FCE matters because they see the need for children of color to have the opportunity to go to college… FCE has been a gift to our family. I can never thank them enough!”