Our New Era: Blake’s New Principal Leads with Purpose

This school year, we welcomed a wonderful, dedicated principal, Mr. Ahmed Adelekan.  Some may recognize him from his previous positions at Banneker or Briggs Chaney Middle School. But now, he’s made the move up to high school and will lead the Bengals.  With extensive experience in the Northeast Consortium (NEC), working with students, families, and the community, he characterized Blake as “the perfect fit.”

So far, he has been open to listening to the opinions of staff and students about the school and what they would like to see at Blake. His approach is to evaluate the environment before instituting new policies. “You have to respect the work that has been done,” he said. “You only get one high school experience…my plan for Blake is multi-layered. The first thing is to understand Blake, listen to the kids, listen to the teachers, see things for myself, see what works, see what doesn’t work.”

Mr. Adelekan comes from a family of educators, which not only sparked his interest in learning and teaching but also inspired him to help others. This will be his 21st year in education and 16th in high school overall. He is committed to assisting students in choosing their high school and future paths, and “helping kids with short-term goals to reach their long-term goals.”

Mr. Adelekan shared his past experiences, which led him to become Blake’s principal. In college, he was in a program to be an elementary school teacher. After being inspired by his cousin, he switched his major to TV and Film Production. He graduated from the University of the District of Columbia and moved to Hollywood to work behind the scenes for two years.

Unsure if this was the right career path for him, he was still passionate about being an educator. He returned to Maryland and taught at Flowers High School in Prince George’s County and Gaithersburg High School. He then became assistant principal of Quince Orchard and later Briggs Chaney Middle School. “My journey was non-traditional,” he stated.

One important focus Mr. Adelekan shared was allowing every student to have an enjoyable high school experience. Students mentioned to him that the “school lacked spirit.” He wants to ensure that students take pride in attending Blake. 

Students and teachers have sensed a calming effect with the new principal.  Mullah Black,  a sophomore here at Blake, has noticed that “kids are not irritated anymore” and “no one is really in the hallways” during instruction. Ms. Chaplin, one of Blake’s business and technology teachers, described Mr. Adelekan as “very personable and easygoing. He’s very professional, and he definitely has a vision. I think we will ultimately continue to be in a great place under his leadership.”