The American School of Durango, founded in 1954 by Agnes McClain Howard, marked a milestone as the first bilingual school in Durango. Inspired by the need for quality English education for her children, Howard enlisted the support of local business owners and parents to bring her vision to fruition.
In a fascinating twist of fate, Mrs. Howard forged a strong alliance with an illustrious and respected political figure – former U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson.
Driven by the cause of the American School of Durango (ASD), she turned to her friend Johnson, then a prominent U.S. congressional figure, to investigate the racket necessary to obtain ASD accreditation on U.S. soil.
After meticulous documentation work and a curriculum in full development, ASD achieved, thanks to the support of the Offices of the Department of Education, the coveted official accreditation in September 1954.
At that time, ASD took off with a community of 100 students from preschool through elementary school, flourishing under the financial support of the U.S. State Department until the mid-1990s.
It was 1960 when he moved his educational soul to a building on Francisco Sarabia Street, a gift from Harold Jarvis.
From a subtle fusion of Mexican and American traditions, a rich cultural tapestry emerged: the celebration of emblematic fiestas and respectful flag ceremonies every Monday morning.
The early years were marked by teacher training in Mexico City and the University of Michigan, planting seeds for the educational excellence palpable today.
Once upon a time, the ASD proudly stood as a beacon of knowledge, working hand-in-hand with the Durango community to train Bilingual Executive Secretaries through a four-year program.
Graduates, armed with proficiency in two languages and accounting skills, found careers in banks and other prestigious companies.
However, in 1989, like a river changing its course, the school evolved and the program took its own path.
Even so, the ASD still resonates with the echo of its flute and drum band, tunes that brightened school and community events.
He is also looking forward to reviving his band program. But the ASD legacy does not stop there; in 1977, a high school was born, its purpose, to continue to light the torch of bilingual education by applying intense American programs. Thus, the ASD continually illuminates the educational path in Durango.
In the heart of Durango, a transformation marked the destiny of young visionaries: the transfer of middle and high school students to the brand new campus in 2013 heralded the beginning of an era.
A flood in 2016 hastened the exodus of the former college, uniting the community in a titanic effort to save its academic legacy.
By 2018, the murmurs of childlike curiosity echoed in the new Kindergarten and Elementary corridors, with promises to expand the sanctuary of knowledge for middle and high school. Growing to 637 students in 2019, the institution stood as a melting pot of cultures, projecting its essence beyond borders.
The graduates, carrying a 100 percent college acceptance rate, looked to the future armed with knowledge and leadership, as The American School of Durango emerged as a beacon of multicultural and bilingual education, destined to shine with 900 developing minds.
